To Dwell Poetically — Moments of Happiness

Rereading these fragments of happiness from thirty years ago, I am grateful that I still possess a heart capable of experiencing joy. Because of this, I allow myself, in this moment, to let the complexities of the world fade away and silence the surrounding noise. With only a cup of tea on my desk and soft music in my ears, I savor this luxurious, warm interval of time to continue writing down the plain, yet self-harmonious moments of happiness in my life today.

The Sequel

Moments of Happiness

• Happiness is to crouch low, tending to my cat as she eats, and whispering soft words to her.

• Happiness is to take a long walk during a sun-drenched afternoon.

• Happiness is waking early by chance to glimpse the sunrise painting the horizon from my east-facing study.

• Happiness is brewing a pot of rich Rooibos tea with soy milk after a midday nap.

  
  

• Happiness is having old friends of many years who check in with each other from time to time.

• Happiness is seeing my mother, nearly ninety years old, still focused on learning to paint and garden.

• Happiness is teasing, playing, and mutually indulging with the one by my side.

• Happiness is writing at length here about these trivial, "sesame and mung bean" matters of happiness.

  
  

• Happiness is knowing my heart is content even when nothing has changed in the outside world.

• Happiness is feeling silly yet finding myself endearing when I make a mistake.

• Happiness is being able to perceive the joy and kindness illuminating everyone I meet.

• Happiness is optimizing my daily routine and meals—sleeping like a baby and staying healthy is the most reliable happiness in the world.

  
  

• Happiness is hearing warmth and responsibility in a spontaneous conversation with my son.

• Happiness is the realization: trusting loved ones and believing they have the strength to face their own life classrooms.

• Happiness is discovering that life is a treasure trove where beautiful moments can always be found.

• Happiness is those moments of alignment with universal energy—the shackles of the self loosen, and though I am so small, I can roam so lightly, wandering at ease between heaven and earth!

The Original

• Happiness is knowing a pair of warm eyes is waiting when driving home each day.

• Happiness is holding a tender hand during a walk at sunset.

• Happiness is knowing there is a strong arm to lean on when waking from a midnight dream.

• Happiness is the moment of opening a long letter sent from across the ocean.

• Happiness is the surprise of receiving his phone call on a dull afternoon.

• Happiness is having someone to share joys with and someone to talk to in times of sorrow.

• Happiness is sitting quietly with him on a holiday afternoon, reminiscing about the past.

• Happiness is those lazy weekend mornings spent snuggling together.

  
  

• Happiness is the moment of hearing a newborn baby’s first cry.

• Happiness is watching my little baby sleep peacefully in my arms.

• Happiness is the fleeting moment of a baby’s blossoming smile.

• Happiness is that first family photo of the three of us together.

• Happiness is protecting a fragile life with all my heart and soul.

• Happiness is identifying those first two words from babbling speech: "Mama."

【Read in Chinese 阅读中文版】