The more I think about it, it seems that long-term happiness is something many people spend their lives seeking OR they believe it’s something they used to have and lost.
That makes me wonder if we are truly ever happy? Or if it’s something that is always just out of reach (in the future or in the past).
No.
Feeling “okay” is the lasting state. You cannot feel persistent goodness without any badness to compare. Constant goodness turns to “okay”.