IBQ Writing Prompt: What is Happiness?

happiness
Happy- Pharrell Williams

Niles Crane asked his brother Frasier Crane on season 1, episode 24  “Are you happy? If someone asked me the same, I would have to think a while like Frasier did.

What is happiness anyway?
Last time I was truly happy was a long time ago. I would say I had a happy childhood. Minus my sister’s death of course. Before that my life was happy. I had loving parents and my sister adored me. Both of my grandmothers were still alive. My mother told me once that when I was born my sister was really excited. She loved having a little sister. Even if our time together was short, it was still the best time of my life. All those Lapland trips, birthdays and Christmases. Those I would call happiness. A loving family is everyone’s wish. In that way I was lucky.

I’ve had more downsides than upsides in my life. I don’t dream big because of that. I’ve learned to enjoy the small things. A bike ride, watching my favorite movies or TV shows, listening to music of all kind. Watching comedy really lifts my spirit. Also writing makes me happy. Mostly fan fiction. When I get an idea, I can’t stop writing. Sometimes it can take hours. I can write and write but if someone interrupts my train of thought, I can get quite irritated. I will probably never publish them but writing them is good therapy. For me happiness is also just walking alone with my camera and take photos of nature. There would be no one around.

I was happy in 2011 before my mother became sick. We went to Lapland. To the same place we went almost every year. We slalom skied for a week. That also made me happy, skiing. It was a time things were good for a while.

If I’m happy now? No, no one is happy if you have no job and your life is going in around in circles. Also when you lost someone close to you not so long ago. Happiness is the last thing on your mind.

What makes one person truly happy

They asked on a radio today about what makes people happy. That got me thinking, what makes me happy? Nothing much. At least no big things. My life has been more downside than upside. But I’ve learned to enjoy the small things. Recently, just waking up and not stay in bed for too long. And I love to sleep. But you can’t sleep all day. Just because your life is boring, it doesn’t mean you have to stay in bed all day.

What really lifts up my spirit is walking in the park or take a bike ride. Nothing is better than a nice and warm day. Not one of those hot summer days. I don’t like those. My mother and I went to these long bike rides. We took some juice and sandwiches or fruit with us and off we went. But now when she’s passed away, it won’t be the same again. I probably won’t do those trips anymore. Maybe short ones though. But doing bike trips alone is not really that bad. At least you have time to think.

No matter how difficult life gets, there’s always something to look forward to. The problem with people these day, they expect too much from life. Why not just live for today? That’s what I do. I used to be worried about not getting a job. Even my mother were worried I would never get anywhere. I had dreams and I wanted them to become reality. I felt I didn’t have time. When I was a teen, I felt anxious because I wanted things to happen within a certain period of time. But as I got older, that feeling was gone. I was in no hurry. I wasn’t worried I wouldn’t get anywhere in life. I didn’t give up but I didn’t stress about it either. I don’t care if my life won’t be exciting. I won’t have any regrets when I’m old and wrinkled. It just wasn’t meant to be. If I ever get that far that is. You never know when things are over for good.

So what makes me happy, was the question. Entertainment of different kind. Since I was a child, music and entertainment has been a big thing in my life. I watched a lot of music  and drama programs. Both on MTV (when it still was a music channel) and Finnish channels. When my favorite boy bands were on TV, I was always taped their interviews. I have lots of VHS tapes which are useless now. There was this music video program called ‘On the air’ which aired on Super Channel (now called NBC Europe) It was more of a radio on TV since there were only talking and no picture. They had bands and artists guest starring. Then they showed music videos. My English teacher were surprised how good my English was at the time. It was only because of that program.
Laughter is also a good cure to sadness. Even thought I watched those comedy shows a lots of time, they still making me laugh. Not just comedy shows, also funny interviews with funny people. E.g. The Hobbit cast. When they get together, it’s pure fun 😀

I just couldn’t live without TV and movies. They make me happy. What else is there?! ⭐