Ask him why there are hypocrites in the world.' 'Because it is hard to bear the happiness of others.' 'When are we happy?' 'When we desire nothing and realize that possession is only momentary, and so are forever playing.' 'What is regret?' 'To realize that one has spent one's life worrying about the future.' 'What is sorrow?' 'To long for the past.' 'What is the highest pleasure?' 'To hear a good story.
Interpretation
Happiness is temporary and often hindered by our desires and regrets about the past or future.
This quote suggests that true happiness comes from living in the moment and understanding that our desires for possessions and our regrets about the past can lead to unhappiness. It reflects on the nature of happiness, sorrow, and regret, indicating that while we often struggle with desires and worries, the simplest pleasure can come from enjoying a good story and being present.
In practice
In a motivational speech about overcoming negativity and embracing the moment, this quote can illustrate the importance of focus on the present.
The concept of national sovereignty has been an immutable, indeed sacred, principle of international relations. It is a principle which will yield only slowly and reluctantly to the new imperatives of global environmental cooperation. It is simply not feasible for sovereignty to be exercised unilaterally by individual nation states, however powerful. The global community must be assured of environmental security.
The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.
God's willingness to answer our prayers exceeds our willingness to give good and necessary things to our children, just as far as God's ability, goodness and perfection exceed our infirmities and evil.
Belief is a moral act for which the believer is to be held responsible.
It is only serving God that is doing immortal work; it is only living for Christ that is living at all.
It is a hard matter, my fellow citizens, to argue with the belly, since it has no ears.
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