Cassie Mogilner, an American professor of marketing and behavioral decision making, conducted a study about happiness, targeting adults between ages 18 and 87. According to the result of the study, happiness felt from daily activities such as watching movies or going for a walk is much greater in older people than younger people. The reason is simple. Young people normally feel happiness from special experiences such as overseas trips or a wedding. On the contrary, old people feel happy from ordinary activities such as smelling the scent of flowers in the street.
It is noteworthy that happiness, which everyone wants, is not only gained through something new. Some of modern people make an abstract goal, and feel frustrated as they fail to achieve their goal easily, or feel discouraged by small misfortune. Quite a lot of people feel empty instead of feeling happy, even after fulfilling their goals.
Let us not think too much about how to be happy, but focus on what we can feel happy about in our daily lives. Although there is nothing special today and today is just like yesterday, warm sunlight, or rain drops knocking on our ears, the wind touching our faces, and a cup of tea warming our bodies are filled with happiness. Moreover, God’s salvation always accompanies us every day. So, there is no reason not to be happy. Is there anyone out there who’s been clothed with God’s grace of salvation like we have?
“Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD” Dt 33:29, NKJV