I happened to be in english class today and discovered a wonderful poem of human nature in my view:

Richard Cory

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,

We people on the pavement looked at him:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,                                           5

And he was always human when he talked; 

But still he fluttered pulses when he said, 

"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich - yes, richer than a king

And admirably schooled in every grace:                                   10

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread; 

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night                             15

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

                                       Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935)

Richard Cory seemed to be an admirable man, quite respected in the community.  Taking the old version of what gentleman used to mean (a man born into wealth), it seems to me this man had everything he could possibly want.  He had the looks, the wealth, the grace, the humanity, and the education to be a happy man.  I believe that was the problem, he had everything he could possibly want.  When someone has everything, what more is there to want.  You see we are a creature built and wired to want.  If we have nothing to want things begin to become dull, and a dull life creates nothing more than self-pity, or loss of interest.  I believe that the poor are in such good spirit, not because of they are content, but because they have hope, they have hope just as these people had hope of being like Richard Cory.  What I have realized is being content is the best possible solution for happiness.  Take Victor Frankenstein for example:

 “I see by your eagerness and the wonder and hope which your eyes express, my friend, that you expect to be informed of the secret with which I am acquainted; that cannot be: listen patiently until the end of my story, and you will easily perceive why I am reserved upon that subject.  I will not lead you on, unguarded and ardent as I then was, to your destruction and infallible misery.  Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than nature will allow.”

You see, when people want, it gives them hope of achieving what is wanted.  What people do not realize is the fact that just like this man who killed himself, they themselves will fall under the category of despair.  When they get what they want there will be nothing else.  The pointless cycle for humanity never stops, but being content with life is the best possible answer for the achievement of happiness.  No life isn't happy all the time, but it's always going to be beautiful and I think people have forgotten the beautiful aspects of life.  The part where your driving down the road and you see a beautiful cloud in the sky.  The part of life where you wonder, you just let your mind go.  Its easy to stay in a certain mindset, but in order for the truth to be known about things that are really beautiful, you have to empty your cup of opinion and emotion and focus on the small beautiful things in the course of your day. It is more prevalent than ever that society has become materialistic with all the celebrity figures.  Celebrities are just like Richard Cory, they have everything, but they are unhappy.  They have forgotten about the small moments that make living beautiful.  Embrace the small times and enjoy life as it comes.  Life is beautiful and I live by that everyday to reassure myself that I haven't forgotten what life is.