pursuing happiness

it's right there
in one of the most well-known
sentences ever crafted
in the English language,
'the pursuit of happiness.'
we certainly spend
a great deal of
time and energy,
not to mention money,
in this endeavor,
but does the pursuit
itself insure
that we will never be
truly happy?
pursuit requires
a set of parameters
'i will be happy once i --
--find love
--have a child
--get a promotion
--own a luxury car
--fly to Aruba
--retire'
(fill in the blank here with
your own set of terms
for acquiring that elusive
state of being.)
trouble with this is,
once that particular
object of our desire is attained,
we find that nothing
of substance
has changed in our lives,
in our true selves,
in the being that dwells within,
which sets us off
in pursuit
of the next thing
we decide
will make us happy,

not unlike a puppy

chasing its tail

in an endless circle.
perhaps if we called off
pursuit, and just started
being happy.
made the decision to
face each day with
a sense of adventure.
seize the moments
that contain those golden
bits of nothingness,
a cloudless blue sky,
the first flower in spring,
a summer sunrise,
that long awaited kiss,
and find in these
happiness in the
here and now,
no pursuit required.