Issue 4

A Note from the Editor

I believe the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not… we are all seeking something better in life… the very motion of our life is towards happiness. - His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

The other day I asked my children, what makes you happy? The twenty-one year old’s response surprised me. “When dogs approach me on the street or a baby smiles at me. Going to a Broadway show, and… cat cuddles.” This is the daughter that has zero interest in mindfulness/meditation, yet I feel her answers were very much along those lines. 

True happiness (sukha–a stable baseline of contentment) stems from offering generosity, kindness, and compassion, while letting go of fear, hatred, greed, and selfishness. While at college my daughter made it her mission to learn the names of the staff in the cafeteria, mailroom, and security. She realized these individuals were often overlooked by other students and wanted them to know they were seen. They were appreciated. Ahead of graduation she made keychains as a token of appreciation. The excitement in her voice when she came up with the idea was beautiful. Her happiness went to a higher level when staff members excitedly took a keychain from the collection. “I wasn’t sure anyone would like them. I didn’t think everyone would actually take one, wow.” 

Do you ever think about who you interact with on a daily basis? The smile and nod you give to the mailman, the small talk with the Starbuck’s barista. These seemingly insignificant minor interactions (SIMIs, as Amir Levine calls them) all add up and contribute to one’s overall sense of contentment (happiness). The question is worth repeating – What makes you happy? 

Barbara Malinowski

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