Have you ever had a conversation about happiness with a child? From my experience, what brings children happiness is entirely uncomplicated. Their unsullied spirits value experiences over “stuff,” unless we have taught them otherwise. They relish simplicity. Think about the moments of happiness that they keep reminding you about or the perfect days of which they dream; there is an innocence and a purity in their happiness, right? It’s so important to foster this simple happiness and, as adults, it’s invaluable to take their lead.

Part I

Q: Please tell me about your happiest memory.
A: My happiest memory is the first time of going to the Level 3 class [swimming] with my teacher Miss M.B. She’s now not teaching me, but that was my happiest, my favorite memory. I loved it so much.

Q: Why was it so happy?
A: It was the first time learning how to do stuff in Level 3.

Q: What kind of stuff?
A: We did elementary backstroke and just [regular] backstroke. It was my first time doing sidestroke, elementary backstroke, and breaststroke with my feet in frog kick. It’s just such a happy thought. When I remember it, my heart is bursting with happiness. I really like it when that happens when I’m thinking about it. I think about it often when I think about other things.

Q: Would you say that you love swimming?
A: I love being in the water. I love it very much, as much as I can.

Q: What is your favorite part of swimming??
A: I just like doing all the strokes even made up strokes, like upside-down stroke.

Q: Would you like to swim for a long time?
A: Yes.

Q: How long?
A: Longer than anybody. Until I’m 199.

Q: Is there anything else that brings you as much happiness and makes your heart palpitate as much as swimming does?
A: I also like watching ballet performances and performing.

Q: Thank you very much.
A: You’re welcome.

Part II

Q: Could you please describe to me your recipe for the perfect happy day?
A: Yes:

• Wake up early.
• Eat waffles for breakfast.
• Play with my little brother.
• Maybe a ballet performance in the living room.
• Eat pizza for lunch.
• After lunch it’s nap time for my little brother. During nap, Papa and I play a game of Snap Circuits.
• After nap, I play with my little brother. Maybe we’ll play either “Run Run Run Away” [basically children  chase one another around the house while happily screaming] or “Laundry Selling for Free” [while someone futilely attempts to fold laundry, the children grab the laundry basket and attempt to “sell the laundry for free” back to the folder while simultaneously dumping the majority of the clothing all around the house].
• Early dinner at 5:20 p.m.
• Maybe a family dance party in the living room.
• Tomatoes as a bedtime snack.
• Then I read to Papa.
• Then Mama reads to me.
• I put on my pajamas. Go into our bedroom. Cover my little brother with a blanket and lay with him for 1 minute. Then I go to bed. Then I dream good dreams. The End.

Q: Is there anything else that you would add to that perfect recipe?
A: Maybe we could go to the beach after nap.

Q: What would you like to do there?
A: Play in the waves. Play in the sand. Bury myself in the sand.

Q: Is there anything special that you do in the waves?
A: I go back, back, back as far as I can into the ocean. I give the seaweed back to the ocean. I direct the waves so they know where to go.

Q: Do all the waves follow your directions?
A: No.

Q: How so?
A: There is one wave that doesn’t listen, but all the others do.

Q: Tell me about the wave that doesn’t listen.
A: That wave, she does not like to listen to me. She listens to me when I say go forward, but not when I tell her to go back. She only listens when one of her friends comes.

Q: Could please tell me why it’s important to direct the waves?
A: So they know where they should go. I direct the waves because my big sister directs the waves usually, but she had to go out of town and I had to fill in.

Q: Does everyone have trouble directing the disobedient wave?
A: Only me. She is a crazy one.

Q: So, if we include the beach after naptime, would that be the perfect happy day for you?
A: Yes.

Q: Thank you very much.
A: Yes. You’re welcome.

Here is my suggestion, dear readers, think about your happiest memories, your perfect happy days. If the happy memories are able to be repeated or the perfect days easy to accomplish, make it happen. If not, try to think more like a kid. They can draw happiness from anything. Appreciate the simple happiness in life. If you have the opportunity to play in the waves, do. I wouldn’t recommend taking it upon yourselves to direct the waves, though, that’s for experts.