Happiness

The steps of my stride, as I walk back home from the railway station, increases at a faster pace as I hear Pharell Williams singing the song ' Happy'. The lyrics and tune of the song, makes your feel incredibly light and inexplicably happier, when till then I was feeling quite indifferent and had been walking immersed in reviewing the incidents of the day.  I look up in the sky, watching the stars and moon in the sky as if I was without the roof over my house, strangely smelling the flowers in the trees along the road, which I would walked hundreds of times and ignored, and feel incredibly happy. This probably leads to a rush of adrenaline, which in turns makes me walk faster. 

So, what is it that makes one happier? The answers could be so broad  - it could be the small things in life-  watching the butterflies and birds fly around flowers, walking in the beach feeling the waves brush your feet, watching the mountain peak rise above the clouds, watching your new born baby smile - or it could be big things - the ones which makes us feel that we achieved success, the results of our school or college exams, the first job, the promotions or climbing the peak (literally ).

Yet, Dr Gregory House, of the House M D fame, may analyse this as a chemical reaction in the brain. I have been watching this serial with immense interest (or is it addiction?) and rate it as one of the best. The actors are fabulous and Hugh Laurie makes you believe that he is indeed one of the best diagnostician. I think, even if I meet him in person, I would half expect him to be sarcastic and rude, with his intense eyes staring back as if he can read your mind. This guy is immensely talented, a pianist and singer apart from his acting capability. 

We are diverting from the topic- what makes one happy. Clearly happiness is not a constant phenomenon. Our mood changes depending upon the circumstances. The reason why House came into the context was that he would have probably explained the reason to be happy due to some chemical reaction in the brain.  The episodes therefore, showed at various occasions, how people's behaviour can change because of abnormalities or tumours in their brain. Consequently, rectifying these can result in a change in behaviour and how a person feels. This does not, of course, mean that the principles or a character of the person can undergo a radical change, but it does explain why we all behave differently to the same set of circumstances. Because we are all wired differently to some extent.

Maybe the time is not far off, when the brain can be wired to make one happy. Alternately, one may have the capability to control the reaction in one's brain, leading one to believe that one is happy. Till such time,  we will just enjoy those moments of being happy - when one is home with loved ones or getting together with friends or just living the dream that we call Life. Afterall, happiness is also a recollection of all the moments that made us feel happy.