Thursday, September 25, 2008
Happiness (Edited)
Happiness is defined as a state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Even in the happiest life, there are moments that stick out as being uniquely 'happy'; each has their own unique characteristics that make them memorable or force them to stand out against the rest. For some it is the day they graduate high school, the senior prom, the senior trip, a competition, the day they met their significant other or the day they received an accolade. In my life, I have experienced my own versions of these events, and none of them begins to compare with the happiness I felt when I saw my child for the first time. I do not think I will ever forget what it was like when I went to my first ultrasound. I was lying on the hospital examination bed feeling nervous; what if something was wrong with the baby? What if there was something wrong with me? So many worries were going through my mind. I know I envied my partner's ability to consume caffeine at that point. All through the preparation I was worried, though I doubt it lasted more than three minutes. Then, my baby was there on the screen; and it was moving. I could see its little heart beating and watch its feet twitch. They may seem like small things, but relief and joy flooded over me. I started crying; that was my baby on the screen. The pride and happiness I experienced were like nothing I had ever felt before. Everyone experiences happiness in their lives, and each person has a different way of ranking the joyful moments in their lives. Some reflect on that last big win, others have their own milestones. For me, actually being able to see the life that my partner and I created surpasses any other. I'm pretty sure seeing my partner hold his first child will probably surmount it, and being able to hold the child myself will crown even that. But for now, nothing compares to the sight of my child for me; it will be with me for the rest of my life. It shows to me without a doubt, that though a person may be happy with their life as it is, there is always some way for that little extra happiness to show through.
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1 comment:
Again, this is interesting in a voyeuristic way -- it allows unusual access into an otherwise guarded life.
What I am looking for -- what your book and the course are looking for -- is an argument. You could approach this backwards: you have some evidence, so is there any point you could apply it to? To say that some events are happier than others because they stick out, for instance, is not really an argument. An argument might be: happiness is only felt by contrast with its absence. (For instance...)
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