"Man is the artificer of his own happiness" (Thoreau)

.....For the past few days after several of my friends, students, and colleagues have died, I have been thinking about life’s real purpose.  At the very least, in my own mind, after the death of a loved one, there need follow a celebration of life and a continuance of the quest for happiness. Happiness is a state of mind and difficult to achieve, but the task must be pursued.  At this latter stage of my life, I don’t remember when or whether I was ever happy; but I believe I am happy now.  I know I was happy in the classroom both as a student and as a teacher.  But happiness eluded me when I was not engaged in some academic environment or in some sporting event, or being transported to magical places by a book or by my imagination.

…..But now, I know I am happy when I recall and relive the relevant events of my life; my survival of WWII, my college career, my teaching and coaching career, my performances on the stage, my running of two marathons; my travels around the world; the wounds of divorce; the writing of a book and publishing my memoirs;  raising a family; and as fortune would have it, a beautiful second marriage.  All of these things…and more, have been my goals and have lighted the darknesses of life. I have learned that if one is not happy, to find it, passiveness won't do it-- there must be lit a burning hot fire revealing the pathway to a primary human desire--peace of mind.