1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

I am responding from the previous post.. When exploring my perfect happiness, it cannot become without having experienced pain, sorrow, grief, anger, resentment, sadness, etc.... Happiness is not the opposite of these things, it is a result of getting through these things and seeing them as a tool to have gratitude. So really I think my perfect happiness is a fullness of gratitude, being truly grateful for what I have, what's before me, and knowing that in itself brings me joy. Thanking the Lord for my health, and the well-being and care taking of my boys is happiness, but I cannot expect heavenly powers to personally make me happy. I am responsible for my own happiness. I am responsible for having a perspective that is aligned with my happiness, but that perspective can also align me with jealousy, anger, and resentment. I should solely focus on being happy though, being content with what I have, and being understanding that it's OK to be part of the have-not's of the world, because I am also part of the have's of the world. Knowing I should be grateful for a roof, food, clothing and a job, basic essentials, seems so underrated in comparison to the Kardashians of today's America. But I am happy with my basic needs, as I am providing for them on my own. I work hard, I do what I'm supposed to do, I have a full belly, a warm, or cool house, and live a very comfortable life. I should be happy. I have freedoms that others do not, and even freedoms that women of this world do not have. I should be happy. But what my idea of perfect happiness? Seems such a broad question that brings me back to knowing I am a privileged person, living in a privileged country, even though I struggle with being happy. I am more joyous than happy. Joy comes from being grateful and accepting of a higher power, but happiness, that is of my control, as well of others. Nobody can take my joy, but they can steal happiness from me by being mean, rude, hurting people I love, but in this strife, we struggle to change the circumstances and always move them to be happy. Perfect happiness.. I keep coming back to that. I guess I don't know the answer, I come to joy, I come to contentment, I come to thinking it's purely selfish to have an idea of perfect happiness, as it would only include what would make ME happy. I want everyone to be happy.