How you define Happiness?

After a long boring class of philosophy I and all my friends gathered as usual at our favorite spot. My friends got busy sharing jokes and laughing about something when one of my friends called my name. I realized I wasn’t very attentive and they were concerned. Somehow I found myself still stuck in the lecture of philosophy.

All the laughs died instantly and everyone was staring at me now. With a little hesitation I asked what do they think about this philosophy class?

At which Haris said carelessly, “Philosophers are mad, how can one define happiness?” Everyone else chuckled and shouted excitedly in agreement.

“What is happiness?” I quickly added looking very serious and staring back at him. There was a small pause as the noise died once again. It became an entirely dramatic moment.

Haris smiled brightly and said “Football.” I liked his clear mindedness and that he was very specific. He also didn’t take much time to think which was also appreciable. 

I nodded pleasantly and asked the same question to the person sitting next to him. We were sitting in a circle so it was easy to get all the attention I needed.

I asked them to be quick and to give one word answers. They all started to answer whatever came to their minds on hearing the word happiness. The game raised their interest level and everyone got excited to contribute.

Some said success, love, care, work and the like. The circle ended and I had a lot of different answers and information to assess. I wanted to work on the difference between what people think happiness is and what actually happiness is. Before I could do so, one of my friends asked me back, “What is happiness?”

I wasn’t expecting this so I stopped to think. How come I didn’t see this coming? Laud hooting began since I was taking time to think. They all started shouting in objections, and reminding me the rules of the game. I grinned at their objections and immediately shouted back “FRIENDS!” That was truly the first word that came to my mind as the definition for happiness.  

There was again a long but comfortable pause and this time all my friends were smiling back at me cheerfully.

This topic interested me so much that I went on asking many people to define happiness.  After a long period of personal interviews of random people I have found no one knows what happiness actually is.

Happiness is not a feeling it’s an energy. Happiness is the light, the hope, the energy that illuminates you. No one can be the reason enough for your happiness except you yourself. There is no other reason for your happiness.

The demon is always an outsider, don’t let it enter and dull your light. Only you can throw this demon out who sits there and laughs at you. Making you believe that it will stay with you permanently. The only thing that is permanent in you is the light. This light is there inside you and it’s been there all along. This light is strong and bright beyond your imaginations. Recognize the light in you today, and let it take you higher for the rest of your life. On one else can do it for you. The happiness is you yourself.