“Everyone wants to be happy.”

That is what most teachers of Buddha dharma say to their students. It is the basic human condition and suggested to be a goal of our lives. We want to be happy. We all desire happiness and freedom from suffering.

Recently, a friend confided in me that someone she had not seen in a long time asked her if she was happy. My friend said she had no real idea about whether she was happy or not, it had not been a conscious consideration for her; she did not know how to respond. I asked myself the same question and you might do so as well: are you happy?

Some say being happy depends on getting what you want or not suffering, not being in pain. The Declaration of Independence cites the pursuit of personal happiness as an inalienable right equal to liberty and life itself.  Then the goal of freedom is happiness. We long for a feeling of well-being. We try to pursue happiness through satisfaction.

By definition, happiness seems to be a jumble of emotions and positively felt experiences, including contentment, satisfaction, bliss, intense joy, well-being, good living, flourishing and the practice of goodness.  A recent study arrived at the statistical conclusion that people are most happy when they use their money to help someone else and not for themselves; that true happiness comes from the good we do for others. It is not predicated on material wealth. Think of the parables throughout history:  the person who is content with few possessions, the one who is miserable with riches.

Perhaps the balance is to learn to be cheerful while acknowledging that life includes a touch of sadness. It is that knowledge that informs our happiness, to be happy to be alive and enjoy our lives while not denying the very temporary nature of our existence.

Happiness can also be that sense of well-being when creativity is flowing unobstructed, awakening our senses and neurons, allowing access to our unconscious or intuitive self to continue over long stretches of time. 
 
From a Buddhist point of view, in seeking happiness we act in ways that produce the opposite effect. The more we seek a way to be happy the more dissatisfied we become.  Profound happiness lies within and does not depend upon external circumstances and conditions, but is realized after stabilizing runaway emotions, recognizing their uselessness and resting the mind in its natural state. The more exertion in practicing this, the more joy and expansion of awareness and thus happiness arises.

There are those moments, even when practicing to cut through speed and transcend desire, that happiness eludes and the temporary blues may enter your mind stream. In these times the comfort foods of childhood seem to offer consolation. They remind and reconnect us to the root of happiness.

Food is a great way to jump into your senses. Think of which food gives you a sense of solace. It might be pierogis, or rice, or tacos, or matzo ball soup, or pasta, or momos that come to the rescue and restore good humor. Humor, too, is an encourager of happiness.

For me, fresh peach pie tastes like happiness in all its forms.

PEACH PIE

Find some ripe local peaches, full and fragrant, warm from the sun. Even the appearance of peaches elicits a smile.  Make a pie crust, embarrass the peaches, add whipped cream and eat with friends. The only thing to cook is the crust. Drink with a sweet white wine. Serve, if you like, with a raspberry puree.

For the Crust:
1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
½ stick cold unsalted butter (4 oz.), cut into small pieces
¼ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
3-4 tablespoons ice cold water
OR use your favorite piecrust recipe.

For the Peaches and Topping:
4-5 whole, sun-ripened yellow peaches
1 pint heavy cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Carefully place the whole peaches, fuzz and all, into the water. Poach for 90 seconds or so. Take the peaches out with a slotted spoon and put into a colander. Spray with cold water; the skins will slip right off.  Slice the peaches in half and remove their pits. Notice how they blush! Skins removed, they are all shiny and glistening bright, yellow and rosy red, dripping with sugary juices.  Be careful, because they are a little slippery when wet and nude. Let them rest in a bowl, covered, until they are required again. Sigh, as in inhale then exhale with wonder.

To make the crust: Set the oven at 350°F.  Into a food processor, add all the ingredients except the ice water. Pulse until the mixture breaks up into crumbs. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just barely comes together. Turn out onto a floured wooden or marble surface. Bring the dough together and flatten and slide it slightly, adding a drop or two of water, if needed, to make it smooth and barely moist – to earlobe consistency.  Flour, fat and water -- the essence of life.  Shape by hand into a 3-inch flattened ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes to 3 hours. When ready to use, bring to room temperature.  (Or roll out first, place in the pie dish, crimp, then refrigerate at least 20 minutes.) Roll out dough, place in pie dish and crimp. Cover dough with a circle of aluminum foil or parchment paper, fill with “pie bean weights” or dry beans.  Bake about 20 minutes then remove the paper with the beans and blind bake about another 15 minutes to a light golden color. Smell the fragrance pervading your kitchen. Check crust to see it doesn’t burn. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

When the crust is cool place the peach half discs, cut side down, into the crust to fill it. Depending upon your personal style, you will either fill in the spaces with quartered peaches or leave the gaps. Look at this fine circle of mouth-watering golden yellowness. Smell essence of peach, of summer, of plump goodness. Make whipped cream by beating the cold cream in a chilled bowl with cold utensils until thick, then add the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Put the whipped cream into a pastry bag with a star tip and decorate the top of the pie, covering all the peaches. Alternatively, for a more homemade style, just spread the cream over the top with a spatula.

Invite some companions to join you. Slice and eat with gusto. Pay attention to what you are eating when you pick up your fork. Put the summery peachy pie into your mouth, Sugar.  Tastes good? Experience the vividness of victory over despair and the decency of existence. Make someone happy.

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