Does happiness exist in any real measure or do we trick ourselves into believing it does?

Only my personal opinion, but I think happiness is greatly overrated. The only person who is happy all the time is the village idiot. It would be nice to be happy all the time, but think of what you'd have to give up in order to be that way.

Those are not the only alternatives, hence your question is fallacious.

Happiness is not static for one thing.

Happiness and Contemplation (Paperback)

~ Josef Pieper

". What, in fact, does one pursue in pursuing happiness? What, in the consensus of the wisdom of the early Greeks, of Plato and Aristotle, of the New Testament, of Augustine and Aquinas, is that condition of perfect bliss toward which all life and effort tend by nature?

In this profound and illuminating inquiry, Pieper considers the nature of contemplation, and the meaning and goal of life. "

true happiness having a child

buying a puppy

going to amusement park

dancing at your moms 97 birthday party

dying before your wife does to make sure you don't have to suffer if she went first.

taking a bullet for a love one

there is true happiness but more sorrow sadly

Yes true happiness does exist. But only through the LORD God Jesus Christ.

Psalms:23:1: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

When Jesus is your LORD God and Savior, He changes your want to's so the evil you use to enjoy you no longer want to. And the things you use to want you no longer want them. And it is total inner peace in a choatic world. ♥ † ♥ ☺

The trick is to make others happy.

Happiness truly exists. There is a such thing as eternal happiness. One can know this for sure, and eventually attain heaven, by praying the rosary regularly. See the following promises.

The rosary is explained here:

http://www.medjugorje.org/rosary.htm

The fifteen promises of Mary to Christians who recite the rosary:

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against Hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.

6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in Paradise.

9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

God bless!

Dave