Chasing Happiness

I had an interesting conversation with a bus friend of mine, Paris...
He is a traditional Buddhist and we had a debate on happiness.
He said that as a Buddhist, you sought to leave behind desire for everything, including happiness - you desire or crave for nothing, including being happy.
I argued that happiness was a part of that journey - if you chose to be happy, the rest would follow.

I realised today he is right.
Today I am not feeling as happy as I usually do
and I am afraid that I will not get back to that happiness
I am craving, desiring happiness
and am sad at losing it.

If I was more buddhist I would not feel so sad at losing happiness, albeit briefly or not.
Joy is something that happens as a result of leaving behind desire.