What makes you happy?

This is a question for the ages. Happiness has become an elusive dream for many of us. We chase it. We cry out for it! We search desperately for it! Yet many of us would truly be hard-pressed to define it. We place a huge premium on our happiness. It is often so important that we bequeath it to another person. We are satisfied, no, we demand that someone else define our happiness. We look to our spouse, a loved one, a friend, a pet, or perhaps to a complete stranger to make us happy. Have you ever heard someone say, "You don't make me happy anymore." or "I am just not happy"? We say these things but we don't really know what defines our happiness. We perk up our ears when someone says, "happy". We look around for happiness. Does a smile or laughter define happiness? What about a giggling baby, is he happy? What about the folks who laugh hysterically at a comedian or a movie, are they happy? Who teaches us happiness? Perhaps it's the ever-present "media", if Oprah says that a book will make you happy, how many of us would race to the bookstore to get it.
Webster's dictionary defines "happy" as; 1: favored by luck or fortune; 2: notably fitting, effective, or well adapted; 3: enjoying or characterized by well being and contentment; 4: characterized by a dazed, irresponsible state. What do you think? Which one best fits you when you're happy? Do you have good luck, a pile of money, effectiveness, well being, or are you simply in a daze? Guess it's all about how we decide to define our happiness from the choices at hand. Sometimes we dwell too much on the complexities of our lives, the changes that bombard us daily. One definition contains the word "contentment", can we be content with our lives? The therapist is booked with people seeking contentment in their lives.
There is a contentment that exists apart from the world, a spiritual contentment. In Matthew 5, Jesus defines happiness to the multitude like this;
"How happy are the humble-minded, for the kingdom of Heaven is theirs!
"How happy are those who know what sorrow means, for they will be given courage and comfort!
"Happy are those who claim nothing, for the whole earth will belong to them!
"Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for goodness, for they will be satisfied!
"Happy are the merciful, for they will have mercy shown to them!
"Happy are the utterly sincere, for they will see God!
"Happy are those who make peace, for they will be known as sons of God!
"Happy are those who have suffered persecution for the cause of goodness, for the kindom of Heaven is theirs!
Jesus knew that happiness was an unanswered question in our minds, so he provides an answer by teaching the meaning of happiness. Now how will you define happiness. What makes you happy?