The Pursuit of Happiness

I’ve been writing this post on the road from a small hotel in the south central region of Ghana called the Yan Memorial Lodge to various car rides to and from outreach. On Tuesday, we drove for three hours up to the central costal region. We arrived in a small seaside village called Elmina. 

Elmina’s name dates back to the first Portuguese colonists who upon arrival traded for so much gold that they called it “the mine” or in Portuguese “el mina”. 

On the coast beautiful rolling waves of light teal crashed against ebony colored rocks and light sand. Just across the road were trash heaps and homes of those struggling for a better life. The drive highlighted such stark contrast in the condition and lives of the people. It is sad to me that such natural beauty can be contrasted by such poverty.

With these thoughts rolling through my mind as we pulled into the clinic to start the day’s work. Dallin and I screened visual acuity before the patients went to see Dr. Juju one of the optometrists of the St. Thomas Eye Hospital.  The people are always happy! It is one of the most amazing themes that I have noticed in my life, usually the people that have the least are often the happiest people. 

Everyone that we screened seemed to always have smile. I’ve be think that I might have the wrong life vision. It seems that happiness is, and I know that this is cliché, found within and is separate from circumstances. If we build our life on the pursuit of happiness we will never find it.  However, if we build our life centered on happiness we will be happy regardless of what is happening around us and where life leads us.