Eternal Joy
By Miranda Li
During my recent journey to Yosemite, a serendipitous encounter unfolded, becoming a profound catalyst for uncovering my eternal happiness. I found myself standing at the precise spot where my mom had captured a moment in time three decades ago. In her photographs, a different landscape emerged—an expansive lake mirroring the sky, encircled by young pines. In my own photos, those once fragile pines now aspire to touch the clouds, and the lake, with the passage of time, has dried to death. As I gazed upon the photo of my mom, a vision of grace by the lakeside in a flowing dress, her long black hair caught in the wind, I couldn't help but be enchanted by her beauty. Yet, the inevitable passage of time had changed her hair from black to gray, and dresses were no longer a feature of her outfit. Amidst these changes, the rock remained the singular constant. It was in this moment of reflection that I realized that true happiness is in my heart, unaffected by external life. The rock symbolizes my internal self, unchanging and steadfast, while the trees and lake represent the external facets of life. They are in perpetual flux, forever changing, elusive and beyond our grasp.
Whenever I pass by an amusement park and hear the laughter of children, their pure joy from the heart prompts me to reflect on my own life. And now I've come to realize that the simplicity and lasting nature of their happiness stem from being untouched by societal influences. All their joy emanates from the authenticity of their hearts.
In our society, we often link happiness to external achievements—having a successful job, a comfortable home, or fashionable possessions—believing that these are the keys to eternal happiness. However, these pleasures are transient, ever-changing, and fleeting external markers that inadvertently lead us into capitalist cycles, where pleasure becomes entangled with profit-driven narratives. The more we chase this elusive happiness, the more we find ourselves trapped in a dead cycle of desire, spending our lives pursuing happiness without ever truly attaining it.
In the silent embrace of nature, I learned the importance of letting go of desires and expectations, rediscovering the innate joy that had always resided within me. Nature has become my sanctuary, offering a reflective space for my journey. Whenever anxiety and stress threaten to overwhelm me, I choose to pause and take a walk in nature. My sincere hope is that you and everyone else learns to slow down, perhaps do nothing, and find your own inner happiness. In this fast-paced society, I've come to realize that the first step to not being defeated by the monster is learning to stop and take a breath. Making yourself happy and healthy serves as the prerequisite for everything else.