Happiness

A discussion between me and my- 10- year old old daughter about happiness.


Me. What does happiness mean to you ?

My daughter. It means having money, lots of it, and more money.


Me.Is that all ?

My daughter. Well, it could also mean
pleasing God, my family, and my teachers.

Me. What else ?

My daughter. I don't know, I said all what I know.

Me. How about being healthy, could that spell happiness ?

My daughter. Yeah !

Me. Do you like challenge ?

My daughter. Yes, I do.

Me. Do you feel triumphant when you win the challenge ?

My daughter, Yes I do !

Me. Can we call that feeling happiness ?

My daughter. Well, sort of

Me. So money isn't all happiness, or is it ?

My daughter. Well, yeah, but I still say that money is the main thing.

Me. But you just told me that stimulating your intellectual thoughts can result in a happy feeling !

My daughter. What do you want with me, I'm only 10 for God's sake. !

Me. I'm just trying to understand what is happiness.?

My daughter. I already told you, it is money.

Me. But I have already established that it isn't only money-- and you agreed.

My daughter. I don't care what I agreed to, I still say money spells happiness.

Me. Were you happy last year when they announced your name that you were the number one in your graduating class ?

My daughter. Yeah ?

Me. Where is the money in that announcement ?

My daughter. I would have felt happier had they given me monetary award instead of recognition ?

Me. So you are now defining happiness as happy, happier, and happiest.

My daughter. Yes, that is exactly what I'm doing.

Me. So when was your hippest moment in life ?

My daughter. When you gave me that crisp $ 100.00

Me. When will you become much more happier than that ?

My daughter. When you give me more money on my birthday !

Me. So in your mind, only money brings happiness and nothing else !

My daughter. Exactly.

Me. What happens if you don't get any money ?

My daughter. I'll kill myself.

Me. So good health, good parents, a sense of accomplishment, triumph, intellectual mind stimulants means nothing to you if compared to money.

My daughter. Yes, dad, and please leave me alone, I'm going to work on my home work and I don't wish for this discussion to continue any longer than what it already did.

Me. Go a head, and sorry for taking up your time.

My daughter. Never mind but you are tricky dad.

Me. You agreed to have this discussion about happiness.

My daughter. Yes, I did, but I wasn't thinking it is going to be like that !

Me. Do you want to have a discussion about another topic ?

My daughter. No, thanks.

So, there you have it, a 10 year old girl had translated happiness into basically one single word " MONEY"