An Excerpt from Handbook to Higher Consciousness by Ken Keyes, Jr.

 

"Even if life gives us 90% if what we want and protects us from 90% of what we dislike or fear, the remaining 10% will nag our consciousness, dominate our perceptions, perpetuate the churning of our rational mind to "solve the problem," and otherwise keep us from experiencing the state of happiness. For the state of happiness is experienced only when we have an almost continual experience of accepting whatever is here and now in our lives. Just as one mosquito buzzing around our head can keep us awake at night, it may take only one addiction to keep up from experiencing happiness." Ken Keyes, Jr. 

I found the book "Handbook to Higher Consciousness" in a thrift shop one day. I wanted something to read on the bus ride home and grabbed it because of the way it was positioned on the shelf. I started reading it on the way home and the words brought me as close to home as I have ever been. 

It is an old book but somehow the simple knowledge held within it is still not common sense to most of us. 

When he says "it may take only one addiction to keep us from experiencing happiness" he uses the word addiction in a very general way. He is referring to anything that we seek and are disturbed by when it doesn't go our way. It could be a clean house, more money, social attention. It is eye opening to think about what in our lives we allow to rob us of our peace. 

Imagine, a continual state of happiness. Is it attainable?