Perhaps Just a Good Start

Hector and the Search for Happiness is a 2014 movie. I made a couple of notes thinking that someday, I would spend some time again with the happiness premise and the search for and definition of the same. 

Guess that’s today. 

In my mind, I had considered some long and protracted examinations resulting in a series of articles. But today, I’m in a mood for short. 

The movie is pretty good in a quirky way, but this is my opinion as apparently not everyone thinks so. But what’s new? So, if you are wandering aimlessly through the world of streaming one of these days, seek this destination and give it a go. 

Since my notes on this movie lacked any resemblance to a list of what made people happy, I looked towards the great and powerful Google for answers and amazingly enough, found one. 

According to Alexandra Funk, these are the lessons that Hector wrote in his notebook: 

• Lesson 1: Making comparisons can spoil your happiness. 
• Lesson 2: Happiness often comes when least expected. 
• Lesson 3: Many people see happiness only in their future. 
• Lesson 4: Many people think that happiness comes from having more power or more money. 
• Lesson 5: Sometimes happiness is not knowing the whole story. 
• Lesson 6: Happiness is a long walk in the mountains. 
• Lesson 7: It’s a mistake to think that happiness is the goal. 
• Lesson 8: Happiness is being with the people you love. 
• Lesson 8b: Unhappiness is being separated from the people you love. 
• Lesson 9: Happiness is knowing your family lacks for nothing. 
• Lesson 10: Happiness is doing a job you love. 
• Lesson 11: Happiness is having a home and a garden of your own. 
• Lesson 12: It’s harder to be happy in a country run by bad people. 
• Lesson 13: Happiness is feeling useful to others. 
• Lesson 14: Happiness is to be loved for exactly who you are. 
• Lesson 15: Happiness comes when you feel truly alive. 
• Lesson 16: Happiness is knowing how to celebrate. 
• Lesson 17: Happiness is caring about the happiness of those you love. 
• Lesson 18: Happiness could be the freedom to love more than one woman at the same time. 
• Lesson 19: The sun and the sea make everybody happy. 
• Lesson 20: Happiness is a certain way of seeing things. 
• Lesson 21: Rivalry poisons happiness. 
• Lesson 22: Women care more than men about making others happy. 
• Lesson 23: Happiness means making sure that those around you are happy? 

She ended her post by naming a few of the lessons that seemed most valuable to her. I also went through these 23 items and made my own choices. I would encourage you to consider spending some time with Hector's recorded lessons in the same way. 

However, I remember thinking on so many occasions that I would never be completely happy unless I was doing what God wants me to be doing – in everything. All I can say about my vision of reaching happiness is that I’ve had “some” successful moments.  

I am unable to remember when I started thinking this was the way to fulfilling a need for happiness. Because of this, I have no concept of where the 'truth' came from. I want to think it was my own ability to perceive and apply this to my life. I want to believe I'm that smart! But it was probably a result of listening to some sermon. It could also have been planted in my thoughts as a result of some discussion with a teacher of sorts. This list of potential teachers is endless as it could have been a friend, family member, supervisor, car mechanic, check-out clerk, television show, or enemy. I’ll never know. 

This week, I saw the following quote listed under the title, “Consistent and Congruent”. It was written by explorer and travel writer, Freya Stark. Its source was noted as The Journey's Echo 

"There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do." 

And there it is. If you'd like, we can call this one 

• Lesson 24: If we act in ways inconsistent with our beliefs, we cannot find joy and happiness.

I will swallow my pride and admit that this nugget of wisdom entered my consciousness through the gifts of others. Being grateful for these givers also makes me joyful. 

• Lesson 25: Be grateful. 

Maybe there is no end to our ability to find happiness. Maybe there is no formula or one-size-fits-all answer to fulfilling this need as it seems obvious that Hector only scratched the surface in his travels.

I will continue with my starting point, however. Listen to God, do what He says, and all these things will be given to you as well.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."  John 15:9-11