Common Sense

“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill

From “Family Honor” by Robert B. Parker.

“Well, one of the reasons to look at stuff is to learn what things mean.”

“I don’t have to like stuff I don’t like.”

“No. You don’t. But it’s probably better to base your reaction on knowledge than on ignorance.”

“What difference does it make? Whether I like it or not?”

“The more things you like, the more opportunities to be happy.”

I think that kind of sums up what I think about happiness, when I think about it. I was having a conversation with a buddy and the subject of happiness and money dropped into our laps. Of course, we agreed that money does not buy happiness. But then, does anything? Well, maybe. But the purchase is indirect.

What would you do if you won the lottery? Most people will tell you……”I’d buy something such as a house, a car, a new RV or whatever.” But a purchase would be made that would improve your lot in life. Money may not buy happiness but it most certainly can buy a more comfortable form of it.

We then got into a conversation about education, upward mobility, and happiness. Generally speaking, the more education one has the quicker and higher they move up the food chain. And that position, given that all else is equal, usually determines a level of happiness. The more good things you are exposed to, the more opportunities you have to enjoy life because you have so much more to fall back on when it gets hard.

One other factor and possibly the most important is common sense. I’m not sure you can learn this or acquire it. Seems to me you are either born with it or not. I’ve known quite a few “educated idiots.” Absolutely nothing will ever save them from themselves. They are doomed to a world where 1+1 always equals 2 and the reason is never important. Everything is either black or white……………..there is no grey area.

Would you rather be rich and live in a black and white world or reside lower on the food chain but possess an understanding and appreciation of the grey areas? Given that choice I choose the latter. But then, of course, I have no money.

However, if I could be educated, rich, and have bundles of common sense…………….I’d take that over everything. Armed with those tools, I can find happiness.

Such as it was, that was the essence of our adroit musings. Great seekers of truth are we.

“Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured…But no one must prove they are a citizen!”  Ben Stein