Defining Happiness

On New Year's Eve, before the start of 2013, hundreds of TV stations, both domestic and abroad, show us scenes of friends hanging out at pubs or clubs. Some of us joined in that scene, others stayed home to spend time with our loved ones. One thing we all do on this night is make wishes for a great and happy new year. This caused me to ponder a philosophical question that has been haunting or obsessing the human race from antiquity to present-day: What is happiness?

Twilight at GDUFS

Happiness can takes in different forms, just as the light of an evening. There is the Happiness of ecstasy: nominated for the Nobel Prize, for instance, the spreading headlines of the Chinese writer Mo Yan winning the 2012 Nobel Prize in Literature inspired and excited all Chinese citizens, boosting the national pride; selected for the high office; or awarded a large sum of money - just like the glorious yet fleeting fireworks across the dark night. There is also the sweet, trivial Happiness - just like the tiny stars sparkling across the sky: reading a really good book at a tranquil park in a warm winter afternoon full of sunshine; listening to some beautiful classical music alone in the midnight; or doing some cooking in a clean kitchen just for ourselves. Then there is our moonlight-liked Happiness: a chat by the fireside with some old friends; a kiss from the beloved ones; or some homemade cookies from our grandma or grandpa - all so comforting and lasting. And lastly there is the imperceptible yet everlasting Happiness: to help deliver food to the homeless, to bring back home a wandering dog or cat, or just prepare a cozy and warm home with a paper box for the kitties and feed them with some food, as we all do at GDUFS; and to let go a trapped butterfly or dragonfly on the road - that's the vast sky giving out faint yet boundless light.

Afternoon moment