Thursday, September 2, 2010

Happiness –

Can happiness truly be found anywhere? I am sure there are some places that happiness can not be found, such as the death of a loved one. But in most situations I like to believe that happiness can be found.

When my older brother was taking a psychology class as part of his nursing degree, one of the topics was happiness.

“Do you know what happiness is?” He asked me.

I thought about it a moment and told him what I though happiness was.

“To you perhaps, but your happiness it not necessarily someone else’s happiness. Take for instance the homeless person that lives under the bridge. His happiness will be completely different than yours”, he told me.

Wow! I never really thought about it like that before. I am the kind of person that likes to see happiness. I like to see people smiling and laughing. In my previous opinion before our conversation, if you were not smiling and laughing, I just assumed you were not happy. Kind of like my mom. Don’t get me wrong she smiled and laughed but she complained all the time. It was interesting to hear her complaints and it wasn’t until my brother and I had that conversation that I realized that “complaining” was a key component to my moms’ happiness. If there was nothing for her to complain about she was not happy. It made me see things totally different for the first time.

I deal with many people every day, from all walks of life and ranging from all ages. Some I have relationships with and others are just passing strangers that I might have a small interaction with. Never a moment goes by that I don’t think about what makes one happy. I often think there must be something wrong with me, because it is rare that I get sad or get let down by a situation. I would love to be able and say what makes me happy because I truly don’t know. It is so much easier to say what make me sad.

What make me sad?

When I see someone I love, unhappy or sad and there is nothing I can do help.

I would love to know what makes you happy or if you are a person like me…what makes you sad?

4 comments:

Monica said...

that's a tough question you pose. so many things make me happy and sad that it's hard to nail that one down. i now have something to ponder for the day. :o)

Emily said...

My mom is very similar. I had never thought about it that way. She seems so miserable, but maybe it is just her way to be happy. I hope so.
One of the things that makes me happy is seeing my kids after I have been away long enough to miss them. Sometimes it takes a few hours, sometimes longer. But that moment that I walk in the door, and both boys come running up and they both give me a big hug. That makes me happy.

Jakarta Rocks said...

It is totally corny, but being with all 5 members of my family by ourselves makes me happy. We can be eating sunday morning crepes or holding down their Dad to tickle him. It doesn't really matter what we are doing - but I feel priviledged to be part of my family and that makes me happy for firstly being a founding member, and secondly for having 3 amazing kids I look at and wonder how they got to be so amazing. To be part of such an amazing group of people makes me happy. To be happy in my marriage makes me happy (well at least when he isn't driving me insane that is).

What makes me sad - trying to work out why my Mum put up with my Dad for so long and how sad it is that she never got her wish to outlive him. Why put yourself through all that when you are suffering?

Connie said...

Being with my family makes me happy. Being with or chatting with friends and loved ones makes me happy. My cats make me happy.
To me, keeping a positive attitude is essential to finding happiness. Nevermind if your life is going well, or bad, you have a choice... look for the good, and that is what you will find, or look for the bad, and that is what you will find. Sometimes that is easier to say, than do, sadness sneaks in at times, I admit, but it's what I strive for, and it usually keeps me feeling quite happy and pleased with life.
:) Smile - that can also spread happiness, keep you happy in return, and it also makes people wonder what you're up to ;)