Happiness?

I was asked yesterday if I am generally a happy person.  This was followed by an enlightening conversation regarding what happiness is and isn't, examples of who might be happy people, and whether we ourselves thought we were happy in life.  Is happiness the absence of sadness or is it more than that?  Is it a choice?  Are some people just more disposed to be happy than others?  Is it important that we are happy?  Is happiness different than joy or contentment?

I'm afraid no answers were forthcoming, however, it was interesting to think about this.  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator by certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..."

I answered the question that I thought maybe I was more of an unhappy person - however, now I'm not so sure that's the case.  There are always things we would like to change, things we would like to be in control of, circumstances which are not ideal.  But somehow, happiness comes anyway, in moments which are both unexpected and fortuitous.

My yard generally makes me happy, but not for several weeks as hot weather has set in, and it needs hours and hours of attention.  This decreases my motivation and my happiness with how things are at the moment- but when I discover a small green tomato on a plant that appears to be thriving anyway - this makes me happy.

Gotta get to work before the heat comes.  Thinking about these things.