“Are you happy?”

My dining companion was in between nachos when I asked the question. At first he looked perplexed and, after a bite he responded, “You mean, right now?”

“Yeah,” I said. “In your life, right now, are you happy?”

He frowned for a moment, gave a shrug and said, “I guess so. I think so.”

Perhaps it was too heavy a question for Mexican food on a Saturday night, but it’s something I ask myself a lot. I’ve written at length about happiness on this blog, because I think it’s a worthy topic to dwell on. The Dalai Lama believes that being happy is the purpose of life. If that’s true, then we’ve all got some work to do.

The Bible verse Proverbs 17:22 says: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (KJV). Wow. A heart full of happiness and love is so important that it’s considered a healing agent. At the same time, negativity and bitterness is enough to weaken your entire body.

Makes you want to take happiness a bit more seriously, doesn’t it?

I think the ability to be content and enjoy one’s life is a gift. Yeesh, it’s more than a gift. It can be a shield against calamity. It’s the umbrella between you and the rain. It doesn’t mean everything will always be perfect and you’ll never get sick, but it can heal you if and when you do.

So, be inspired to get happy, my friends. It does a body good.