I was driving back from Warren one night when I glanced up at the sky, and the sparkle of a star caught my eye. We all know the ancient ritual that I performed next; I recited, “Star-light, Star-bright, first star I see tonight, wish I may, wish I might, wish upon your light tonight,” and then paused to reflect upon what I might wish for. What, above all things, did I want most?

   So many things crossed my mind—studying for school, working, planning professional success, keeping up with my social life—all the things that take time and carry with them a fear of failure. Why not wish for success in whichever direction that I go?  Or perhaps a new car, or for the relationship I am in to work, is a better wish. I rejected every wish I could think of, though. In the end, only one word, one wish, seemed special enough; happiness.

   But then I realized that happiness is not enough. Bars and jails and streets are filled with those who want the same. So I finished my whispered request with these words, “let me find and know true happiness.”

   As the world continues to speed by relentlessly, still the basic desire of all people, from beginning to end, has been to find, capture and protect – sometimes to spread and sometimes to destroy – happiness. As a culture, as a nation, as any distinct group, or even as a solitary individual, we seek happiness. Fights, wars, treaties, bloodshed, violence and addictions – all manner of evils are the end result of our searching.

   Shall we find it in such measures?  Must we keep frantic pace with society to achieve happiness?

   I believe we will not. I look around us at the world today and think of the saying, “happiness isn’t having what you want; it’s wanting what you have.”

   Once, my life was simpler, with the basic necessities being the measure of a man’s material wealth. On “Little House on the Prairie” a person considered their self fortunate to have a good warm house, food on the table and a way to make it through the winter. They did not have much; yet if they had good company, a warm fire and their loved ones safe and sound, they considered themselves blessed.

   What a far cry from the instant-gratification society of today, when tickets to the concert, that new fancy car, that I POD or (fill in the blank) are what will make us happy … at least, for a minute.

   We learn this lesson of material gratification younger and younger. The Happy Meal, the special pair of shoes or the new video game is what our child “really, really wants, and then I will be happy.”

   But it is only an illusion, a false promise of happiness. In the end everyone cheats themselves, because, there is always something more that we all “really, really want.”  If we could by any miracle attain these things, then what then?  Do we really believe that Paris Hilton, Martha Stewart, Bill Gates, George Bush or any other person with the money, fame or the power and means to get more is really happy?

   I do not think so. There will always be more that you could have, should have, really want or need. I think contentment, happiness and peace comes from inside ourselves, and as a result of intangibles —things like love, friendship, lying in the grass under a starry sky, dreaming of the clouds, a child’s innocent laughter, a puppy’s wet nose, the scent of honeysuckle and the call of birds in the early morning dawn. Such things are life’s true treasures.

   Look inside yourself and wish upon your own star. Take a second, just a second, to really think. What things have really brought you happiness?  What would you wish for?  Think. And then, believe.

   It only takes a second.