Essays

What exactly is happiness and what can engender it? Though it is defined as the condition of being content, different people may have their own ideas of happiness. It is commonly thought of as having a lot of money, power, or fame. But can these things actually make people happy? Happiness is actually more than what most people think it is. It can be mysterious and elusive, sought after by

many, but not gained by all. Happiness resides not in transient possessions or gold, but instead

in the conviction that we are loved. Happiness, which is often thought of as a fairly simple concept, is actually more than what people assume it is. Although this natural mood or feeling is desired by numerous people, it is very elusive and therefore, for some, extremely difficult to obtain. Happiness is frequently sought after but not gained. Though not everybody accepts the utilitarian axiom that happiness is the most essential value, the desirability of happiness is almost undisputed. Happiness is necessary for a successful life. It is absolutely essential to our health and well- being. Statistics have proven that happiness is beneficial to the human race. Happiness, though intangible, is one of the most important aspects of a person's life. Although people can get their happiness from many disparate sources, the most prevalent derivations that engender happiness are family and friends. Friendship improves happiness by doubling our joy and dividing our grief. Though for some people, happiness is money and fame, most would agree that family and friends also bring great joy and happiness. Frequently, people have the wrong idea of happiness. They believe it arises from just material, ephemeral objects. However, for others, happiness may come from things as simple as hanging out with friends or reading a good book. As Joseph Addison once said, "True happiness arises from the enjoyment of one self and the friendship and fellowship of companions and kin." Happiness is a pleasant feeling that is beneficial and yet also intangible and elusive. This elusiveness may come from the fact that some people have the wrong idea of happiness. They believe that the transitory things they seek after, such as money or fame, will give them true happiness, but in actuality they won't. Statistics have shown that the majority of wealthy people are not truly

happy. However, other people assert that friends and family are the main sources that bring about happiness. But, whatever the source, happiness is definitely an essentiality and necessity of life.

Happiness is easy to define for some, and very difficult to define for others. It can be more easily defined after being split into two types of happiness- mental and material. Mental happiness is the state of pleasure one receives from completing a goal, doing something generally good, getting a good grade on an exam, or reaching a state of mental well-being; while material happiness is the state of pleasure one receives from finding a 100 rupee note or buying a new truck. Some feel that happiness is not a physical attribute but instead a state of mind. In other words, believing in God and an afterlife is enough for them. Most of us bundle different words at times to create a general image of people being happy and having a good time. Words like pleasure, fun, and enjoyment have the same meaning, however, happiness is very different. Happiness does not come and go like other feelings, instead, happiness stays with us no matter how difficult life can get or regardless of the emotion being experienced.