Quest.

The dictionary defines quest as “a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something”

Quest is one of those words that can be used both as a noun and a verb.

My submission is very simple. Without exception, all of us are on only one quest. Nothing more, nothing less, just one quest.

That quest is happiness. No matter what we do, beg, borrow, buy or steal, it is to get that one elusive thing called happiness.

In our scriptures, there is a beautiful adage ‘No one loves anything for its self, but for one’s own self.’ In other words, unless what we love gives US happiness, we would not love it. Let me take an extreme case, Mother Teresa’s quest was to look for the destitute and give them some care. This was not the end in itself. She did this, because it gave her happiness to do so. Had she been sad or angry or frustrated doing this, she simply had the choice of not doing it. Or, it may have been that her quest was the happiness derived from the peer respect, or approval or the possibility of Sainthood or whatever. Cynical? No, just being brutally honest.

What is my quest when I blog? What is my quest when I comment on someone else’s blog? What is my quest when I respond to a comment in my blog? One can come up with a number of very high sounding answers, like it satisfies my creative instincts; it is an outlet for my writing ability etc. But if you take these answers also to their logical conclusion, the answer is a resounding “Happiness”. It makes me happy to do so. Had it not made me happy, I would not have done any of the three things that I have listed.

Once we understand this, many interesting things happen. Such as, we become aware that there is no need for us to do anything unless it gives us ultimate happiness. Often, this is the start of a dilemma or inner conflict such as, by doing something that is thrust on me by circumstances, should it be done or not.? The solution is also simple. Since I will be doing it to satisfy some need, say social or family approval, and that approval is something that gives me happiness, I do it. No moaning or groaning about it.

Find it difficult to understand? Welcome to the club. I don’t either.

This post is the Loose Consortium Bloggers’ Friday post when Ashok, Conrad, Grannymar, Magpie11, Maria, Gaelikaa, Helen, Judy, Anu and Ginger write on the same topic. Please do visit the other blogs to taste the different flavours. Some of these bloggers may be preoccupied with examinations, family problems and/or romance, so be a little indulgent in case they do not post or post late.