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HAPPINESS IS…..
Marian Baltazar
Class of 1980, University of the Philippines College of Manila
AB Political Science
We encounter different situations in our life but it is only according to each and every person as to how he
views what happiness is in its real context. Dealing with a lot of happenings, be it good or bad brings happiness
to an individual. We all view happiness in different aspects and in our different outlook in life. Whatever brings
happiness to a person’s life is worth remembering and is really worth to cherish the rest of our life. Maybe we
could touch on some things and facts about what happiness is in any person’s journey in life.
Life is full of surprises and there are a lot of unexpected turnouts of events in our life that lead us to happiness.
When we look at other people’s lives and surmise that he or she is in a state of bliss, sometimes we think that
they are happy but they are not. On the contrary, we may think that other people are miserable but they are
not. Sometimes it’s an irony when we think that some people who seem to have nothing are very happy;
whereas some people who seem to have everything are not really happy. This only means that happiness is
unpredictable, unexplainable and inconsistent.
Happiness is an emotion. All emotions have causes, causes which can be understood and controlled for that
matter. It is not caused simply by entertaining our whims. It is not merely a life lived by accumulating moments
of pleasure. There are times that you are happy in just a fleeting moment. On the contrary, happiness is a long
lasting enduring enjoyment of life; it is being in love with living.
Happiness is your reward for achieving a good character and personal rational values in life. Some of these
important values that we can consider are friendship, romance, hobbies and a productive career too. When
you learn to have confidence in your own mind, when you discover the virtues that make it possible to achieve
your values and make your life worth living, then you experience happiness. Happiness is a state of non-
contradictory joy, a joy without penalty or any guilt feeling. Although sometimes there are instances when we
are still quite ignorant as to what happiness really is.
Happiness is stopping to appreciate the little things that life can bring. Happiness is being able to see the
beauty that God created for us to take care of. Happiness does not exist in the past or in the future, for it
exists with what our state of life is right now, here in the present time, when we face the challenges of our daily
life. You yourself know when you are feeling joy and happiness or even struggling with suffering. The secret of
happiness in life is when you have built a strong inner-self that no trial or hardship could ruin.
As for me, happiness is being contented with what you have right now, my family, my friends and especially
having a personal relationship with the Lord. Even when times get rough and hard, I still feel happiness is being
with the people that God had given me, no matter what situation I am in and no matter what
happens……Happiness is the joy of having the comfort of knowing that I can still be happy in any state I am in
and learning to appreciate what you have right here, right now.
Questions for discussion:
1.
How would you define happiness?
2.
How can we achieve happiness?
3.
Do you feel happy most of the time? Why or why not?
4.
What’s a simple activity that makes your happier? Explain your answer.
5.
How can you have that happy attitude when you feel down and out? Justify your answer.