While experiencing happiness, we have difficulty in being conscious of it. Only when the happiness is past and we look back on it do we suddenly realise - sometimes with astonishment - how happy we had been.

In this quote, Nikos Kazantzakis explores the idea that when we are actually experiencing happiness, we often fail to recognize it in the moment. The joy we feel can be so fleeting or so absorbed in the current experience that we don’t fully appreciate it as it happens. It is only in hindsight, after the happiness has passed, that we are able to reflect and realize how content or fulfilled we were, sometimes even with a sense of astonishment at how deeply we had felt. This insight touches on the tendency of human nature to overlook or take for granted the good moments when we are living through them.

Kazantzakis is suggesting that happiness is often underappreciated because we are not fully conscious of it while we are in the midst of it. Our minds may be preoccupied with future worries, the next task, or the complexity of life, causing us to miss out on fully experiencing the present moment. It is only when we look back and see the contrast between the past and the present that we realize the depth of our past contentment.

The quote also highlights the ephemeral nature of happiness. Happiness, like many positive emotions, can be transient, and often, we don’t understand its true value until it’s gone. This reflects a broader theme in philosophy and psychology: that people often have difficulty living in the present and truly appreciating their current state of well-being. The tendency to reflect on happiness only after it has passed can lead to a sense of regret or longing for moments that seemed ordinary at the time.

Originating from Kazantzakis’s reflections on life and human emotion, this quote encapsulates his philosophical exploration of the human condition. As a Greek writer deeply involved in existential and spiritual themes, Kazantzakis often meditated on the complexity of human experience. His perspective suggests that while we may not always recognize happiness when we are living it, we can still learn to cherish and appreciate it once we understand its transient nature.