What makes you happy?: Young people share their joys in life

Sharing smiles and stories of joy, six students from St. Gabriel School in Indianapolis offer their thoughts about happiness. From left are Michael Bir, Amanda Ward, Taylar Minnis, Allen Dininger, Nicole Loza and Elizabeth Bir.

By John Shaughnessy

Are you very happy with your life?

The odds are higher that you will say “yes” to that question if you attend church weekly or more often.

According to a 2005 Pew Research Center survey, “38 percent of all Catholics who attend church weekly, or more, report being very happy while just 28 percent of Catholics who attend church less often say they are very happy.”

The national survey of more than 3,000 randomly selected adults also revealed some other interesting findings about happiness:

“Married people are happier than unmarrieds. Republicans are happier than Democrats. Rich people are happier than poor people. Whites and Hispanics are happier than blacks. Sunbelt residents are happier than those who live in the rest of the country.”

At The Criterion, we wanted to do our own survey on happiness. In our small and unscientific survey, we asked some young people and some elderly people variations of three basic questions:

How do you describe or define happiness in your life; what makes you happy?

What are some of the moments when you have been most happy in your life?

What advice would you give to people in search of happiness?

As you think of your own answers to those questions, consider the answers that our happiness “experts” shared with us.

How do you describe or define happiness in your life; what makes you happy?

Amanda Ward, 12, a seventh-grade student at St. Gabriel School in Indianapolis: “Just knowing I have family and friends who love and care about me very much. And they’re willing to do anything to help me.”

Amber Morrison, 8, a third-grade student at Pope John XXIII School in Madison: “Happiness is the love you get and how mothers cuddle you in their arms.”

Alex Feltner, 13, an eighth-grade student at Father Michael Shawe Memorial Jr./Sr. High School in Madison: “I am happy when I see a comedian tell a funny joke, get an A on a paper, get a paycheck from my paper route, get something new or when I hold a door for someone who needs help.”

Christopher Grote, 8, a third-grade student at Pope John XXIII: “Some things that make me happy are my pets. When I am sad, they cheer me up by making funny faces.”

Jackson Wendell, 6, a first-grade student at Pope John XXIII: “Newborn babies make people happy. I am getting twin babies. They are going to make people twice as happy!”

What are some of the moments when you have been most happy in your life?

Elizabeth Bir, 8, a third-grade student at St. Gabriel: “Christmas. Because it’s when Jesus was born.”

Allen Dininger, 12, a sixth-grade student at St. Gabriel: “My first touchdown in football. As soon as I scored, my dad looked at me [and gave him a thumbs-up]. My teammates gave me high-fives. I felt pretty good about that.”

Angela Goley, 12, a seventh-grade student at Shawe Memorial: “One thing I like to do is cheer with my friends at my school’s basketball games. I also like to play basketball. I think everyone needs a little bit of happiness in their life so do your best to spread happiness to others.”

Amanda Ward, 12: “My happiest moment is the day my mom got married. We were just at home eating a really nice dinner when my stepfather proposed to her. He took the whole family to the living room, got down on one knee and proposed to her.”

Michael Bir, 10, a fourth-grade student at St. Gabriel: “When I hit an inside-the-park home run in baseball. That was last year when I was 9. My sister was on the team. So that was a good way to remember that moment.”

What advice would you give to people in search of happiness?

Elizabeth Stucker, 13, a seventh-grade student at Shawe Memorial: “To be truly happy, the first step is to be happy with yourself.”

Taylar Minnis, 7, a first-grade student at St. Gabriel: “I might give people advice to not be mean or anything.”

Allison Mruzek, 12, a seventh-grade student at Shawe Memorial: “Some people think you get happiness from material possessions, such as money, toys and things like that. If you are in the search of happiness, search for love and comfort first. Oh! Do not forget to pray to God about your problems.”

Nicole Loza, 6, a kindergarten student at St. Gabriel: “If someone was sad, I would draw a card to them and say, ‘I like to be your friend.’ ”

Laura Hesse, 12, a seventh-grade student at Shawe Memorial: “God wants each of us to be truly happy so he invites each and every one of us to be with him. Only when our soul is resting in God can we be truly happy.”

Sidney Thevenow, 9, a third-grade student at Pope John XXIII: “The way to find happiness is to make others happy.” †