The Mystery of Joy

Happiness, someone once said, is a thing remembered. But haven't there been times when I have said, I am happy, truly happy, here right now at this very moment? And this wonderful awareness, this perfect moment of unadulterated joy, this spiritual union with some transcendental truth made me feel somehow complete; and yet, strange to say, not the least bit covetous of this present life, this particular consciousness which enabled me to experience this particular joy; but on the contrary, sated my appetite for living as a fine meal appeased one's hunger; as though my whole life had been but a striving towards that single moment, and having found it, was complete.