What is happiness? Is it a smile, helping someone or remain content with one’s life? I think all of this makes a person happy. Your smile is the window of your heart, the little smiley face you make when expressing your delight is the symbol of happiness, isn’t it?

And I am one of those fortunate people who always stay positive, look towards the bright side to stay happy. It is not just the big things but different and small things also make me happy, I laugh when I have fun. I play with my friends and help my mum, these things also make me happy. Having a positive attitude and being happy makes one a great person.

How? Well, happiness is returned if one share it with others, but anger only harms our personality and people start avoiding us.

Dear friends, the window of our heart will not be budding and flowering all the time. It sometimes sees a storm of difficulties and the harshness of weather which blurs the vision. The anger of the storm stops the precious light from coming inside. I faced it too!

In 2015, when I came to Grade IV from Grade III, I was so happy and life seemed very easy, but suddenly it all changed. I was shifted to a new school, though the new children and teachers were nice and the school was good too, I was lost. I felt I didn’t belong there! None of the things seemed right to me. The storm was growing inside me.

I loved reading, the passion was still alive, but I was unable to comprehend. Writing tasks were impossible. I started to have reading and writing problems. Everything was confusing me.

Thus, I joined remediation class. My school used to finish at 2pm but I had to stay for one more hour to take an extra class and that was not the end. I had to attend to remediation class afterwards. I couldn’t enjoy my mum’s cooked food at home because of the tough routine as we had no time to return home so we had our lunch in any fast food restaurant and would change my dress in their restroom to get ready to attend the class.

The tiring routine didn’t stop there, when we came home in evening, my homework was still waiting for me. My happiness was lost in the tiredness!

One day, my mother asked me a strange question? She asked, “Why evergreen trees are evergreen?” then she told me that the evergreen trees are adapted to their environment. They never complain about the harsh weather, heavy rain and heavy snow.

That was the moment when I realised, “The one who complaints never succeed.”

So the next morning, I took some colours and papers in my bag to colour and draw while sitting idle in the car. I also started to take a pillow along and reclined the car seat to take rest. While in the traffic jam, I would make origami and play with them as toys. The lost happiness was found again.

Your smile is the light in window of your heart. Now I am still busy but the little window of my heart is full of precious light!

This is the key to staying happy. All you have to do is look towards the positive side and never give in to the difficulties.

Published in Dawn, Young World, November 12th, 2016