A World Of Our Own
"...it is certain that for man's well-being, indeed for his whole mode of existence, the main thing is obviously what exists or occurs WITHIN HIMSELF. For here is to be found immediately his inner satisfaction or dissatisfaction which is primarily the result of his FEELING, HIS WILLING, and HIS THINKING. On the other hand, everything situated outside him has on him only an indirect influence; and so the same external events and circumstances affect each of us quite differently; and indeed with the same environment each lives in a world of his own."-Arthur Schopenhauer
emphasis mine
or a shorter version from Epicurus:
"The cause of happiness which lies within us is greater than the cause that comes from things."--Epicurus
I like that "the external events and circumstances affect each of us quite differently" for example when I think about Dubya and his cohorts I'm reminded of a circus, nothing but clowns, animals, and manure.
