The holiday of Purim is coming – let’s all increase our joy! But what is happiness in the first place? The famous question.

Read on and see for yourself.

Announcing!

A race to find joy

Open to every man,

Woman, girl or boy

Be the first to find

Happiness that is true,

Learn the secret

Of the select few

The prize? You ask;

Just wait and you’ll see –

The end of this race

Will be a discovery

So, take your places

And hop aboard

Get ready, get set

You want to win that reward

Go search for happiness

In places of your choice,

Reaching the finish line

Will be cause to rejoice

Here comes Player #1

‘Where do you plan to begin?’

‘Me? I’m hopping on a plane

I’m flying off to Washington

Where all the power seems to lie,

Home of the rich and famous

I believe that is where

I will find true happiness’

‘Well, I wish you good luck

So be on your way

Don’t dally or dilly

You’ve only got one day’

Player #2

Comes running through the door

‘Oh no! Am I late?

Is there time anymore?

I plan to start my search

In a fancy department store

There I’ll find true happiness,

Of that I am sure

Diamonds and rubies

And all things new

Watch me prove

What retail therapy can do for you!’

‘If those are your thoughts,

Then give it your best

Go shop the world

North, South, East and West’

In comes Player #3

He looks ready to roll

With suitcases and sunglasses

And his eye on the goal

‘Hot, sunny Cali

I suspect is the place

Where happiness awaits

At the end of this race

Nothing can compare

To flying off on vacay

Sitting on the beach

Sipping a latte

There I’ll find happiness

I have no doubt in my mind

I will be the winner

You’ll all be left behind’

‘I like your train of thought

And the things you bring along,

Enjoy your vacation

Be off with you, so long’

The 4^th contestant smiles

As he leans back in his seat

‘Let the others run and chase,

They’ll surely face defeat

I know the secret

That the others don’t know;

To far off places

They didn’t have to go!

But I’ll humor them,

I’ll sit here and wait

When they return, we’ll determine

Their happiness state’

A few hours later

The race is done

The contestants return,

One by one

Contestant #1

Looks down to the ground

‘Nothing but jealousy and pressure

In Washington were found

Those rich and famous people

Aren’t happy in the least

The politics and peer pressure

Turn them into ferocious beasts’

Contestant #2 arrives

With packages galore

It looks like he left

Nothing in the store

But instead of a smile

He stands with a pout

‘I couldn’t find the perfect coat’

He hisses and shouts

Burned to a crisp

Contestant #3 groans

‘What good is a vacation

If you spend it alone?

Vacation is not the answer

That should have been clear

Now that I tried it,

I am fully aware’

‘I don’t understand!

I thought you would find happy

Instead, you all came back

Grumpy and snappy

Is there any happiness in this world?

Why are you all so mad?

Says Contestant #4 with a grin

‘You gotta make up your mind to be glad!’

What fools you were to think

That happiness can be bought!

You searched around the world,

What a lesson you’ve been taught

While you were off and running

I sat and contemplated

All the gifts that I’ve been given

Quite simply, I’m elated!

I can breathe, I can walk

I have a home, a family

The sun is shining in the sky

All these gifts that G-d gave to me

Happiness comes from within –

It’s a choice, it’s up to you

So, choose wisely and be glad

You’ll be grateful when you do.