The simple steps to happiness

- by Alib Har

There was someone who was seated on a particular side and edge. He
pondered over his problems. His poor face brought out emptiness and did not
show any tranquility. Where had his happiness gone?

Happiness. It is a very simple word but has a profound meaning. Every day,
people try to achieve happiness through their own ways. They are willing to
work hard to achieve it. What they do not realise is that there are many
alternative and simpler ways to get happiness. Let me share with you a
handful of simple steps to happiness.

The simplest step to happiness is being loved. It does not mean you need to
seek a boyfriend or a girlfriend. It is more than enough to feel happy just with
the love from your family members, as they are the ones who want the best
for you. They are by your side during both your happy and sad times. As the
saying goes, 'shared joy is a double joy; and shared sorrow is half a sorrow'.
Thus, I believe that having love from our family members is equivalent to
having happiness.

Other than that, socialising with one another is also one of the ways to achieve
happiness. Except for recluses, most people are reluctant to live far away from
their communities. I believe that to live happily in a community, people should
make friends. According to an Oxford dictionary, friends are people who have
the same interests and opinions as ourselves, and will help and support us.
That is indeed true. Friends are important as they are the complement to our
lives. We can have fun and socialise with our friends. We get to learn to
respect and tolerate one another as well. You will feel like the luckiest person
alive if you have intimate friends who really understand you.

Health is one of the determining factors in achieving one's happiness. Do you

think the diabetics feel happy when the doctor gives them insulin injections?
Do you think the kidney patients are delighted when they know that they need
regular renal dialysis to stay alive? It is extremely difficult for someone
suffering from sicknesses to be happy. Hence, last but not least, one of the
simple steps to happiness is by having good health. With good health, we can
savour our lives and have the freedom to carry out any activities ranging from
diving to hiking. We do not have to worry about contracting gout or having a
heart attack. It is obvious that we can live life to the fullest when we possess
good health.

In conclusion, there are many ways to reach happiness. The question is, why
do we usually choose the harder steps instead of the simpler ones? Some
people are willing to work hard to achieve happiness by acquiring wealth. Well,
in my opinion, we may be able to buy luxurious items and lead a life of luxury
with wealth but we can never buy happiness with it. I pray for a growing
realisation of this fact. Real happiness is when we are being loved, have great
buddies and need not make appointments with specialists.