Happiness is the absence of desire.

This quote, attributed to many - most recently the author James Clear - got me thinking this last week. It was the week between Christmas and New Years and I think about the excessive, and over-the-top holiday shopping experience in the United States. How many people, of all ages, desired some good or service for a present, that they did or did not receive, that they felt would lead to happiness? Seeking and desiring an external “something” (companion, raise, present, car, dog, etc) will only lead to an eventual come-down moment when the temporary, immediate high fades. And you will be back to the cycle of desire and want….and unhappiness. Longing for, and hoping to achieve ________, are still fine and acceptable practices - but, in 2025, let’s all try and find a better balance between striving and savoring.