Friday Playdate for Please Define “Happy”



I loved this post from the get-go because it cuts right through the butter in a way that only a child can. What a powerful question Susan’s son poses to her over an ordinary bowl of cereal one morning. Are you happy?

Wow. That sounds like a simple question but if you were to answer it truthfully, as I’m sure you always strive to do with your children, what would your answer be?

Susan writes:
“I use a lot of words during the day to describe myself — busy, anxious, listening, thinking, working, stressed, interested, finished, behind — but happy is almost never on the list. To some extent, of course, this has to do with the conventions of conversation; when someone calls and says, “How are you?” it’s not really appropriate to say, “Happy!” unless you want them to think you’ve been drinking before lunch.”

I’ll let you go over and read the rest but you have to promise me one thing first. When you’ve finished, I want you to ask yourself that very question.

Right now, are you happy?