Opposition in All Things Part 2

I want to look at the causes of unhappiness and their opposites. For starters, pride, the first defined word in this series of posts. If we are prideful, meaning, we do not give freely to others or we treat others below the value we hold ourselves, and the effect of this behavior/attitude is unhappiness, then we can gather, scientifically speaking and using the "opposition equation," that the opposite behavior and attitude will result in the opposite cause. If we rid ourselves of pride, live and act in humility, in kindness to others, then we will obtain happiness where unhappiness was once equated.

A few more of my "equations." Money does not equal happiness. Beauty does not equal happiness. Having either money or beauty isn't wrong or automatically create within a person unhappiness. It is the pursuit and love/lust of them that can spiral us into misery and/or loneliness. I've heard of the wealthiest people being some of the most unhappy.

Here is a lesson I learned from the Disney and Pixar move, "UP." Mr. Fredrickson is a very unhappy and lonely widower. He and his wife always dreamed of going to a place in South America called Paradise Falls, but they never had the chance before she died. Eventually he is able to wrangle up his house with a few hundred balloons and begins a grand journey to float his house to their dream destination.

Along the way Russell, a young and energetic boyscout neighbor, is roped into the adventure along with a few other colorful characters. At the climax of the story, Mr. Fredrickson has made it to Paradise Falls but it has cost him the friendship of his companions because he has selfishly decided not to go to their rescue.  He has acheived his life goal so what should he care of the others? 

As he sits there next to his wife's empty chair, and after finding her last note to him, he realizes that his house and his dream is not what matters; what truly matters is the family he has gained through this journey and who he has the power to help. In this pivotal moment Mr. Fredrickson proceeds to throw out all of the material aspects of the life of he and his wife so that the house can again lift off and go to the rescue.

The lesson that I learn is one of deep value, if what you care about is the possessions of this life, no matter how seemingly nostalgic or important, you will wind up alone in a big empty house. He had learned in that moment of epiphany that what was important were others; not the objects gathered in life but life itself and the life well lived that is full of love.  He had realized where he needed to be and the result was in face a happy ending.