Contentment is the Key to Happiness

We all agree on one point that all human beings want to be happy? It gives us a pleasant feeling from which we would not like to return. The mind is free from agitations and full of joy. There are no cravings. This state is threatened when unsatisfied desires constantly haunt us. We are haunted by cravings for things and this wrecks our peace of mind.
The disease with modern civilization is indiscriminate lopsided material progress. Happiness is associated with increasing possessions and comforts. There is no end to this. Thus we invite restlessness of the mind, which is the root cause of our entire mental imbalance, that is unhappiness. We know that worldly possessions do give feeling of satisfaction and comfort. But we must realize that such satisfaction is purely temporary and it disappears when the object or comfort is absent or when craving for another object or comfort arises.
We will find the state of contentment keeps us in balance. This arises from developing a detached view of objects, events and actions. Such an attitude convinces us that there is no sorrow in this world. Sorrow is only a creation of the mind. Instead of understanding happiness as something, which gives a ripple of pleasure in the body or satisfaction in the mind, realize it as calmness arising from a mind rooted in a steady peaceful feeling. The same object gives one happiness and sorrow to others. It is the value one assigns to it. We realize that worldly objects do no have any quality to cause happiness or sorrow. It is our attitude and attachment to them that makes the difference. If we accept this concept of happiness then life becomes very enjoyable.
We thus find it useful to establish ourselves firmly in this concept of happiness. This requires mind control for which meditation is helpful. The mind is a monkey and if let loose lit will work havoc. The method of taming the mind is to develop the right attitude towards the world of objects. This will be conducive to maintain our peace of mind. Meditation, which over period of time ensures elimination of all unwanted thoughts and focuses the mind on something lofty and noble.