On what happiness is to me (what a classic plot device).

[crystal_martlet]

I always hear these questions: "What makes you happy? What is happiness to you?" And I never really know what sort of answer to give without sounding cliched or contrived. I mean you watch a show on the television and chances are that one day an episode is going to air where the main characters ponder the meaning of happiness. I find that the writers who are able to come up with good answers for their stars to recite are very talented. I mean, how often do you find people in every day life who can come up with an answer as pretty and graceful as some of your favourite actors seem to know off the top of their heads?

I can't really tell you what makes me happy. Not because there's nothing in the world that makes me happy, that's just ridiculous, but because I just can't list all of them. There's another problem with listing things out because to me, there are different degrees of happiness. There's giddy, excited, simple, accomplished...and a whole lot of other adjectives to describe the different degrees of happiness that I experience.

Maybe I should look at the question of 'what is happiness to me'. This question is no easier, but it might be a good place to start. For the longest time, I used to say to people that happiness was something that was very important to me, but it was to be shared with others. That isn't entirely true, however. You can be happy completely on your own, but I liked to think that sharing happiness was a happiness all its own. I think this is where 'giving is better than receiving' came from. I think it's time I changed my answer.

Happiness to me being able to smile at something. Smiling at something without forcing yourself to. It should come from deep inside of you even if your reason for smiling isn't deep or philosophical. It should bring a smile to your face even if whatever is happening isn't happening to you. Happiness to me is also being able to relish in something, like a job or a particular hobby. If you enjoy what you do, and you feel satisfied in doing it, I think that is also happiness. Think about it, there are plenty of people in the world who dislike their jobs and are perfectly miserable. I suppose that most importantly though, it's smiling. Happiness to me is being able to smile at something, anything, and nothing all at once. It doesn't have to make sense to other people, and you yourself might never be able to put it into proper sentences or words, but if you feel it deep down inside of you and inside that place it makes perfect sense, then that's happiness.

Now, what makes me happy? Everything and anything would be the best answer I can give. I take pleasure in the little things in life. I don't care if they may seem inconsequential to other people, or that it doesn't make much sense when you think about it rationally, I think that it's the small victories and being able to find the happiness within them makes me happy. I guess I could give an example. For instance, when I get to the bus stop and I manage to catch the bus right on time, that makes me happy. It makes me happier when I get to the subway/metro station and the subway/metro and I don't have to wait long for the train. I know it seems kind of silly, but that sort of thing really makes me happy.

Something else that makes me happy, I guess the next best example would be during the Christmas season. Whenever I buy presents for people, I usually spend a good two or three days 'humming' and 'hawing' over what I think that person would like. I hate buying frivolous gifts that lack any real practical usage. I think it's shallow and doesn't say much about what you really feel for that person. Even if it's just a colleague, you should make an effort to get something (inexpensive) but at least with some thought behind it. I love picking out that gift after scouring my memory and knowledge for things they may need or really like, then wrapping it up and giving it to them. I'm ten times more excited than they are usually. I love the expression on their faces when they comprehend what it is I've given them, and I love their smiles. That is what truly makes me happy. I've always loved giving gifts more than receiving them, that's something that started when I was younger with my little cousins.

I have a million other things that make me happy, but I think I've made my point. I am made happy by just about anything and everything. Call me simple, but I believe that if a person were to sit back and take stock of their own lives, they'll find a quite a few more happy moments than they originally expected.

However, for the sake of simplicity I will list fifteen things off the top of my head that make me happy:

1. Seeing my parents laugh and smile
2. Walking down the street with my favourite song playing in my ear
3. Smiling at a person while walking down the hall and them smiling back
4. Finding something I had hidden away for a long time
5. Snowfall (not blizzards, but gentle snow)
6. Accomplishing the little goals I set up for myself
7. Bright, sunny days
8. Standing by the water's edge and just happy with the fact that I'm there
9. Making other people happy
10. Helping someone
11. Being a child
12. Watching people be kind to others
13. Indulging myself
14. Making friends
15. Just the fact that I woke up this morning

There we go. The fact that I actually managed to write most of this down, makes me happy.

~ C. Martlet