You heard me

I stopped looking for happiness

I stopped wasting time believing the meaning of life is to once and for all capture the fleeting euphoric high caused by people, places, and selfish physical wants

I stopped pretending that I had everything figured out with my hippie mantra that we are all on this journey that will lead us to a fountain of solved problems and long lasting satisfaction

I cannot capture a wave

The tide was born to ebb and flow

and who was I to think that bargained begging could change what has been set in stone from the beginning of time?

Instead

I looked for joy

I realized the beauty in being given a life to learn how to create an inward peace that no man bound to earth can ever take away

I discovered the simplicity of giving to others leads to eternal contentment

Pain, suffering, and sadness will always exist

Those demons will destroy any happiness which is externally dependent

True internal independence, however, can never be destroyed

When I used joy to fill the hole that I have tried to fill with too much self hurt, I succeeded

You will too

Just have faith