I Went Looking For Happiness

I went looking for happiness

In aims and goals

And dreams of future

Of freedom and power

Life's many pleasures

Beauty and allure

Within easy reach

Temptations to silence

Any voice of conscience

From rearing its head

Drunk with passion

Dulled by greed

A massive ego

Balanced on weak shoulders

I went looking for happiness

In learning and knowledge

Is detachment the solution

Is life meant to be suppression

Our feelings, our emotions

Isn't this an experience to cherish

Why should we be afraid

Too scared to face the depths

Of truth, meaning or purpose

Words that flow like magic

To use and deceive

Every human is but a tool

To twist and manipulate

I went looking for happiness

In laughter, in relationships

Bonds of love soon grew weary

Things we take so easily for granted

The yearned for turns unwanted

In this race we kept running

Egos jostling against delusions

Pride pitted against emotions

As each cherished bond whittled away

Some discarded, some slowly wilted

Lack of patience, lack of trust

When each person is playing a game

Each of us ends up the loser

Then I stopped looking

For meaning or purpose

I sought to live the experience

Without criticism or blame

Chose to cherish my blessings

Few remnants that survived the storm

It's so easy to uproot

So much harder to tenderly care

I found my peace in silence

In kind, loving words

Happiness is so much simpler

When we stop focusing on ourselves

Learn to live like a little child

Each day is a clean, new slate

Pick up the chalk and scribble away