Happiness

Life’s relief map to finding fulfillment,

Like the many random side roads and rivers of unexpected reward,

Is the quintessential roll of the dice,

As determinate confidence

Must confront many built in roadblocks.

The unexpected is always in waiting.

In a mother’s arms,

One trusts she will not drop you.

In the school years,

Acquired knowledge proves to have many chuckholes.

During the work years,

Trust seems to reward few, save the deceived.

Upon retirement,

Reflection reveals the many directions not taken,

Is an admittance that objective chance-taking

In directional decisions

Is elusive.

For are we not more like a mountain creek,

Meandering in and out and around tenuous impediments,

Circumnavigating the many risky choices

Our goal to flow free of obstructions?

Perhaps happiness is of the moment,

Its precarious course through life

Random in nature,

And at times capricious.

Arguably…

Dependable happiness

Is obtainable only from within,

Becoming aware that accouterments from the outside world

Are but transitory,

Like the pebbles in a stream,

Always ready to dislodge,

Forever eroding,

Virtually temporary,

Ultimately becoming but sand

Beneath our feet.