Day 47 - Slice of happiness

Cadbury's is running a latest ad campaign around the festival of Diwali which talks about sharing happiness on the occasion of Diwali and asking who you will make happy this year with a gift of Cadbury's chocolates.

Happiness is such a relative state of mind.There have been books wtitten about how to be happy and how to enjoy the feeling. Personally I don't think someone can be taught to be happy. Its personal, its intimate and its a percieved emotion. What makes you happy may not give me the same emotions. A simple smile can bring you happiness and can banish the feelings of despair and depression. The best thing is that happiness is usually not found in big events. The best slices of happiness that you will find are hidden in the crevices of daily life just waiting to peep out and make your day. The challenge lies in identifying them, accepting them and embracing these small nuggets. Its a cumulation of these small instances that stay with you and bring a smile to your face after many years. Think back and you remember simple things in life that are your slices of happiness.

I tried to do this exercise and tried to list the simple things that bring a smile to my face. Here are some slices of my happiness:

• The smile on my son's face when he sees me.
• The hug that my daughter gives me everyday when I come back from office
• The simple touch of my wife when she teases me and addresses me cutely.
• The surprise on my wife's face when I do something unexpected for her.
• A full house when my parents and sister come visiting.
• The weekend time spent with my friends (Rakhras) who are my extended family.
• The interaction between Mahir and my son Tarush.
• The time spent with my friends Sowmya, Malathi and Ruchi.
• The phone calls time with my friend almost daily.
• My first cycle, scooter and car purchase.
• Setting up house with my wife.
• Buying our first house.
• Watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S innumerable times and laughing each time at the same scenes. Sharing these with my friends and relating them to our lives.
• Getting lost in an engrossing book.
• The smell of the soil when the first rain falls.
• The smell of a new book.
• A sudden call from an old friend.
• Getting wished on your birthday from unexpected quarters.
  

These are just a few that come to my mind.

Give it a thought. What are your slices of happiness?