If happiness paves the roads of my life, my family is the city intertwined by those roads — each

member a distinct neighborhood, a distinct story. In times of stress, whether it be studying for an
upcoming derivatives test or presenting my research at an international conference, I dash to my
father for help. Coming from the dusty, people-packed backstreets of Thiruvananthapuram,
India, he guides me in looking past the chaos and noticing the hidden accomplishments that lie in
the corners. When in need of confidence, I find my mother, who taps her experiences living in
her tranquil and sturdy tatami-covered home in Hiroshima, Japan, helping me prepare for my
first high school dance or my final match in a tennis tournament. Whenever my Happiness
Spreadsheet numbers touch lows, my family is always there to level me out to “10.”

The Happiness Spreadsheet is also a battery monitor for enthusiasm. On occasion, it is on full
charge, like when I touched the last chord on the piano for my composition's winner recital or
when, one frosty Friday morning, I convinced a teacher to play over the school speakers a
holiday medley I’d recorded with a friend. Other times, the battery is depleted, and I am
frustrated by writer's block, when not a single melody, chord, or musical construct crosses my
mind. The Happiness Spreadsheet can be a hall of fame, but it can likewise be a catalog of
mistakes, burdens, and grueling challenges.

The spreadsheet began on a typical school day when I left my physics class following the most
confusing test I’d taken. The idea was born spontaneously at lunch, and I asked two of my
friends if they were interested in pursuing this exercise with me. We thought the practice would
last only a couple of weeks or months at most, but after reaching 700 days, we now wonder if
we’ll ever stop. To this day, I ponder its full importance in my life. With every new number I
enter, I recognize that each entry is not what defines me; rather, it is the ever-growing line
connecting all the data points that reflects who I am today. With every valley, I force myself
onward and with every mountain's peak, I recognize the valleys I’ve crossed to reach the summit.
Where will the Happiness Spreadsheet take me next?