Courtney McGrailThe Happiness Habit: A “Little Book” Guide To Your True Self
by Fr Daniel O’Leary
(Columba Press, €9.99)
Anthony Redmond
Fr Daniel O’Leary is a well-known Irish priest, teacher, preacher and author. I have read a number of his books and he never fails to enlighten and inspire. He writes with passion, deep conviction and sensitivity and there’s no shortage of poetry and lyricism in his words.
In his latest book, The Happiness Habit, he reflects upon the anxiety, depression and constant searching of the human heart for peace and fulfilment.
He takes a number of observations from well-known figures like Dostoyevsky, Thomas Merton, Kahlil Gibran, Gandhi, Albert Schweitzer, Pope Francis, to name just a few, and writes a thought-provoking reflection on each of them.
Each of his reflections takes up just one page, so you could read one page every day if you wished rather than the entire book all at once. Reflecting on joy and sorrow, which are an inescapable part of human life, he writes: “Happiness comes from accepting yourself as you are – the shadow and the light, the sins and the graces, the negatives and the positives, the broken parts and the whole. Within every heart there are angels and demons dancing together. On this side of the grave they can never be separated in you, or in those around you. Remember the words in Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet.
“The deeper sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. In this life you will never become perfectly happy. But the beautiful happiness that you can achieve lies in the knowledge and acceptance of the whole of yourself, warts and all. You are only called to be authentic, to be true to your unique self.”
Fr O’Leary talks about the importance of true friendship, the anam cara, who will not judge you but do everything to help you to be your very best self. He reflects on vulnerability and its importance in making us sensitive and receptive to love. He quotes Thomas Merton who said that God created us to be manifestations of divine beauty. It is vitally important that we live our lives to the full and realise our true human potential.
Daniel O’Leary writes: “Committed to a shallow agenda, we do not live at our deepest truth. We forget that if we do not live our lives abundantly now, we never will. And as death approaches we bitterly regret the greatest tragedy of all – our unlived lives.”
There is a wonderful line from St Augustine who reminded us that when we start with humanity we will arrive at God.
Fr O’Leary wants us to reflect on the infinite love of God for each of us. He tells us: “The true Giver of Life is, in fact, in love with you, intensely present wherever you are working, playing, creating, at your desk, in your kitchen, your car, checking your smartphone, arguing about the remote control, rehearsing with the choir, shopping at Tesco and drinking down at the pub.
“Like a star-crossed parent, the Mother of Life loves looking at you, and delights in you at every moment.”
Yes, Daniel O’Leary is a joy to read.