Contentment/happiness

I have never valued friends as much as I do now - when I have none. The only one I actually do have is leaving in a week, so I'm getting used to the idea of not having anyone.

A year ago I had so many people calling me that I didn't want anymore friends and hadn't the energy to talk to anyone, but now I have no-one to call on a day where I have nothing on my schedule. The only thing to do is to get a job, make money and specialize.

In these times of overflowing welfare one has to specialize to become anything (or so one is led to believe). All the pompous artists and other communication medias proclaim their adventures of the high life casting shadows on the 'normal' ways of life: a solid family, a regular house, a decent car and a hobby to compensate for whatever the day-job lacks. But it is excactly because the high-livers, the spenders, live out the lifestyle that is a necessity for their success, a loud one, that we are never directly told of the joys of simple living (as all the ones living simply aren't loud about it.) Now, in the light of all this: what is happiness?

I think the (humanistic) answer is 'home.' Yes, being at home in the company of a friend (if you're lucky it's a circle of friends), raising your children healthily and loving your spouse. This is the peak of civilisation, what our forefathers fought for in WWI and II (no, I won't turn this on the war on the Middle East).

[I'm not ready to propose a spiritual answer, no]