A few people have, when discussing my planned transition asked, “Will it make you happy.” “Is it really what you want ?” The rationale behind a Gender Transition is not an easy concept to explain, so I’ve sought the help of the Ancient Greeks.
The Philosophy of Epicurus, a Greek thinker who lived about two thousand five hundred years, has over the years provided me with some very real inspiration. He offers a fascinating insight into what “makes us tick.”
Unfortunately his Philosophy has been misunderstood, and in recent years his name has erroneously become synonymous with luxury, and in particular fine dining, a fact that annoys me immensely. Even in rural Western Australia I often see some lavish and expensive item labelled as an “Epicurean Treat” His own tastes were much simpler “Send me a pot of cheese and some olives so I may have a banquet.”
Epicurus devoted much time and effort on working to understand what makes us truly content. His radical findings kickstarted the creation of communities where people lived together in harmony following his teachings.
Principally he recognised the importance of having good friends and spending a great deal of time in their company. He told us “Of all the things which wisdom provides to make us entirely happy, much the greatest is the possession of friendship.” He also concluded that time spent avoiding discomfort and suffering is far more beneficial to our happiness than time spent chasing wealth and luxury.
He urged his followers to reflect on their lives and discover those moments when they felt truly happy and then suggested that we take whatever steps are needed to change our lives to bring about more of those moments.
To summarise I will use a final quote from Epicurus, “It is not what we have, but what we enjoy that constitutes our abundance.”
Yes, I think it will make me happy….
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