Happiness: Narratives From Dana and Chris the Essay

Happiness: Narratives From Dana and Chris

The discussion in this paper provides two perspectives on the topic of happiness. Two interviews were conducted on two women, Dana, 33 years old, and Chris, 30 years old. The close proximity of their ages was deliberate, as the author-interviewer would like to have a good comparison of how the two women in their early 30s think about happiness in general, and based on what they have experienced in life. Dana and Chris have contrasting personalities, the former being more serious and contemplate and the latter, as cheerful and tends to be funny around people. The discussions that follow provide a summary of the interviews conducted, sharing their views about happiness.

Happiness according to Dana

Dana is a 33-year-old nurse who is actively involved in community development work. Dana is a friend of the author-interviewer's brother, and gladly allowed permission to have an interview with her about a very personal topic, happiness. When asked about the origins and development of happiness, Dana could not give the interviewer a specific answer. She could only surmise that happiness is inherent in each individual, and that it is simply a feeling that someone feels in a particular situation or life event. Happiness for her is primarily a feeling, labeled as such because humanity felt a need to "define" and label feelings such as happiness. Dana shared that sometimes, she thinks that happiness is overrated because it is labeled or termed.Labeling or putting a term to a feeling such as happiness makes it a challenging emotion to have, she said. To feel it is wonderful, but if one does not feel it, then it becomes a big issue for the person. A person would start asking, "Am I happy? Why am I not happy?" The facts that humans have labeled that feeling of 'happiness,' people now seek it and try to achieve this constantly. What if, Dana supposed, happiness is not defined and remains an indescribable feeling? Then probably people would not think so much about being happy, or achieving happiness.

Thus, for Dana, happiness is a concept that is best left felt and undefined. She admitted that she sometimes feel that she is lonely, that she should be feeling a feeling that would somewhat be described as happiness. Maybe for her (she was not sure about this, according to her), happiness for her is contentment. As a community development worker for a non-government organization, she often found herself tired, frustrated, and dissatisfied. She complains a lot, and this is when she knows that she is not happy. So maybe, according to Dana, happiness for her is that feeling of contentment. But again, she reiterates, happiness is best felt and undefined. Whether it is contentment or not, Dana would know if she is feeling that most people call happiness.

Happiness according to Chris

Chris is three years….....