Just as the sick man longs for health, and the prisoner of war for liberty–just as the parched traveler in hot countries longs to see the cooling fountain, or the ice-bound polar voyager the sun rising above the horizon–just in the same way does poor mortal man long to be happy. But how few consider what they really mean when they talk of happiness! How vague and indistinct and undefined the ideas of most men are on the subject! They think some are happy who in reality are miserable: they think some are gloomy and sad who in reality are truly happy. They dream of a happiness which in reality would never satisfy their nature’s wants.
— JC Ryle