Some people define it only in terms of a feeling we have when all in life is sunshine and flowers, hugs and profits. Certainly one type of happiness is what we feel when all the relationships in our lives are going great, all our efforts are being successful, and everything is coming up roses, without thorns. But life is not all sunshine, hugs and profits. Sometimes the bush produces thorns without roses. Not all parent-child relationships are wonderful.
Some parents abuse their children.
And some children break their parent's hearts. There are times when tragedies seem to be more prevalent than triumphs. Defeat, disease and death are as much a part of life as victory, health and birth. Well, obviously not, if the only happiness we know about is the happiness of sunshine, hugs, and profits. The kind of deeper happiness I am talking about is the kind of happiness Jesus was talking about at the beginning of the Sermon On The Mount.