"Happily Ever After"

What does 'happily ever after' mean to you?

I am currently reading “Learn our Heart Virtue” by Greg Mooers (the title of the book has changed now and is “Unlocking you Heart Virtue”). On page 66 he writes:

Although we have fantasy movies that portray 'happily ever after', this is perhaps one of the worst concepts ever introduced to humanity: “One day we will live happily ever after” and we will “arrive” and be complete in life. That poses a question: What do you call the completion of life? I call it death, I don't know about you but I am in no rush.

This then obviously made my body react instantly and my mind work. I giggled because I had never thought of it the way he posed it and I was appalled because I have always believed in 'happily ever after'. However I don't think that I ever really thought about what 'happily ever after' actually means to me.

'Happily ever after' means that I am happy. I am passionately and joyfully making a contribution to the world and I have supportive people in my life whom I love and who love me. 'Happily ever after' does not mean that I suddenly stop living. It means that I get to continue to live without any restrictions. I am healthy and wealthy. I have the capability to do whatever I want, whenever I want and with whomever I want. I am living my Heart Virtues of respect, integrity and confidence while communicating beautifully with people I encounter.

I understand that some may have or that perhaps even I have had the thought that 'happily ever after' meant married with the man of my dreams (which incidentally is still in my new version of it) holed up in a castle somewhere, with all these riches and nothing to do. I guess a beach somewhere would be nice too. I just know that this version would not actually make me happy.

I believe that part of being human is relating to others and making a contribution to them and to the world at large. Have you ever seen the film Pay it Forward? It's about how your contribution to one person will affect another and then another and then another and etc. Positivity is contagious and I believe that to be 'happily ever after' you need it- I mean think about it could you be happy and not positive? I think it would be pretty challenging to do it any other way!

So what does 'happily ever after' mean to you?