The World is Changing - Liceo Sesto Properzio

The happiness of lifeby Aurelija ZAICEVAITĖ (1996), SPG Šilutė/Lithuania“He who has once known the contentment that comes simply thought being content will never again beotherwise than contented”(Tao Te Ching)In the Far East, there is a line of thinking that equateshappiness with what you have. The Tao Te Chingexplains: “embrace simplicity… Be content with what youhave , ant not one can despoil you”By Chris Prentiss book “Zen ant the art of happiness”All of us have something that others don’t. It doesn’tmatter how hard our life can be we are moving on andenjoying what we have at the moment.Every person understands happiness in their own way.For some it’s listening to music , for others it’s going for awalk and, also, most common nowadays- shopping. Wecan find an infinity of possible meanings. There are peoplewho find it difficult to enjoy life like the others , buthappiness is still there for them if they try , they can findit in the little things such as blooming flowers, autumn leaves, warm rain, sounds of the sea and so on.We often hear complaints from people around us that their life is meaningless , that they don’t have what to livefor. But have they ever asked themselves ‘could it be worse’? Do they appreciate what they have? But there aredifferent types of people that surround us, there are optimists, people who can find happiness no matter whathappens to them. They are happy that they have the opportunity to live, feel and experience . Everybody whodoesn’t enjoy their life, should look up to these people who are happy about everything.What would happen if everybody walked with their heads held down thinking that there is nothing in life to behappy about?The world would probably lose its colours, it would become dull like an old TV that isn’t needed by anyone now.Yet, this very TV can bring happiness and memories to somebody, which cannot be taken by anyone from you.Nobody forbids us from looking for happiness, but do we need it? Maybe, it will come by itself if we don’t look forit? We all are people and we all have rights to the happiness. So, let’s be happy with what we have and nevergive in to the pessimistic side of the world.I got interested in how people of different age see happiness. I did a survey of 3 groups of people: kids under10, teenagers from 10 to 20, and adults from 20 to 60. Totally 21 people from each age group. They had toanswer 5 questions:1. Do you feel happy?2. What makes you feel happy?3. In what situation do you fell happy?4. Do you think that people around you feel happy? Why?5. What is your biggest dream?According to the answers received, I found out the following: kids under 10 often feel happy. They are happywhen their parents are happy and are not angry at them. Kids are happy when they play with fiends, toys andwhen they get presents. Small kids dream a lot, especially about who they will be when they grow up, what jobthey will do.Teenagers from 10 to 20 dream about more specific things: they want to get a good education, live on theirown , be responsible for their life. There are some of the more interesting answers:-What makes you feel happy?-I don’t think that people around me are always happy. Most of them are students and they, like me, care aboutschool matters, so they are often unhappy because of bad marks or work which they didn’t do on time-What is your biggest dream?- I wish my closest people lived happily and healthily.However, I was surprised to hear what people from 20 to 60 said. I often think that adults in Lithuania often feelunhappy, but my opinion was not approved of. All the people I talked to said that they were very happy. Thereare examples of their answers:-What is your biggest dream?- I wish that people not only around me were happy and healthy. The more smiles I see around me, the morejoyful the world seems to be. If people smile, things are not so bad.- What makes you feel happy?-I feel happy when I think positively, analyze my feelings, look forward to the future. I feel happy when I amhealthy and people who I love are also healthy.- Do you think that people around you feel happy? Why?-I feel happy when I look at other happy people than I feel that life is only one and unique.In conclusion I can say that for everyone it is very important that people surrounding them feel happy and arehealthy, I think that normal people aren’t selfish and they feel happy when others are happy too.So, what do you think about happiness? When do you feel happy?posted on Friday, March 1st 2013n° 9/2013, page 153