THE STORY OF HAPPINESS

Payam Shoghihttp://payamshoghi.com/

WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

Happiness comes from the root word hap, which means chance. . .

Derived from the same root as the word “happening”

Happiness is circumstantial and depends on certain things that happen around us.

So, happy things happen and they make us happy

WHAT MAKES US HAPPY?

An extra scoop of ice cream. Eating the food that we like. Winning a lottery. A gift–like a new I-pod or mobile phone. Praise, and nice things being said about us. New and attractive clothes. Good looks. Agreeable company. Etc., etc. . .

WHAT MAKES US HAPPY?

But sometimes there are other things that make us feel happy:

Exercising power and control over others. Teasing others. Bullying and ragging. Showing off what we have and others don’t. Defying and challenging authority. Damaging school/public property. Doing what we feel like doing at that moment. Etc., etc. . .

HAPPINESS. . .

It is for us to decide what should bring us happiness.

But, no matter what happens to us, and what we do, our happiness is not going to last forever.

The “happiness that lasts” is never found because it is actually impossible to get happy and stay happy!

And we keep doing different things in quest of this elusive, everlasting happiness.

A TWIST IN THE TALE

OUR STORY DOES NOT END HERE

A SUPERIOR FEELING

There exists a feeling that is much more superior than happiness.

It is called

JOY

JOY. . .

At first glance, joy and happiness may seem similar but, really, they are quite different.

Joy is related to happiness, but it is a deeper, richer experience.

JOY. . .

Have you ever fed a pet, or little animals and birds in the park?

How did it feel?

That feeling is the feeling of Joy.

JOY. . .

Have you ever helped a younger brother or sister with his/her

homework?

How did it feel?

That feeling is the feeling of Joy.

JOY. . .

Have you ever shared something that you treasured with someone

less deprived?

How did it feel?

That feeling is the feeling of Joy.

JOY. . .

How do you feel when you think of somebody who you love very much–

like a grand parent?

That feeling is the feeling of Joy.

JOY. . .

A mother feels great joy when she feeds her child, even though she may herself go hungry.

A farmer experiences joy when he sees the fruit of his hard work, even though it may not mean much materially.

Teachers feel great joy when their students excel at school.

Students feel joy when their hard-work is rewarded with higher grades.

HAPPINESS V/S JOY

We feel happy when we are receiving.

But joy comes from giving and sharing.

The greatest joy is when we give happiness to others; or when we make others happy.

HAPPINESS V/S JOY. . .

And the best part is that:

WE CAN ALWAYS REMAIN JOYOUS and JOYFUL

Depending on our actions, and the choices that we make

JOY MOTIVATES

Let us learn to differentiate between joy and happiness.

Try and recognise the feeling of joy which comes from within as against the feeling of happiness which comes from outside

Our quest for real joy can become a powerful source of motivation in life for us helping us achieve excellence.