Happiness Even Amidst the Hurt

I have quite a sizable feeling that what I am going to say here is a rather cliche definition of happiness. But perhaps, the only difference with this is that this happiness is felt even amidst pain.

Happiness, for me, is being with the person I love. The only catch is that the person I'm in love with, isn't in love with me. Unrequited love is a bitch like that. Ironic thing is that we're still as close as can be, it makes the matter that much harder, but in a way, also that much more bearable. I get depressed, I feel hurt, I feel angry. And yet even through all the pain, I have this strange ethereal sense of happiness.

It may be unrequited love, but at least I'm with the person in some way. That there is a relationship there, even though it might be less than what I want, at least I'm with the person. She may not realize how much I actually love her, or rather, fathom the magnitude of my love for her, but I still feel happy. It's a wonderful feeling when we're alone, either in full animated conversation, or in utter silence. It's enough that we're together in some way, at that point in time, in that place. It makes me happy, then, for a while sad... but when I look back on those moments, I realize I have more than I deserve.

Perfect happiness is never attainable, in my opinion. Perhaps the most human kind of happiness is the happiness you experience through pain. A friend of mine once said "Think of pain as a prerequisite of happiness. More pain can lower the standards of what makes you happy." It may be quite sad to hear and actually realize that, but he is right. You can't actually be happy unless you have a point of comparison. You could even apply the saying "No pain, no gain" to this. The more pain, the more you open yourself up to happiness. You don't make happiness nor can you force it upon people... it just happens. Happiness, is happiness. It's the calm after the storm. The salvation after a tragedy. The uplifting amidst and after pain. -Lopez