Happiness vs. Pleasure

by Melva Pratts
(Largo, Fl.)

Happiness is an inner feeling that gives me comfort. I have an inner peace and feel content and satisfied. An example of that is I feel happy when my children are near and safe enjoying each other and my company especially after a good meal. Also, good feelings, friends, and family give me a great deal of happiness.



When I am with the people who mean the most to me, doing familiar things like cooking together, talking and spend time just being in each others company, this is happiness at its best for me. I am happy when I am close to people and things I enjoy doing. Happiness I feel makes me more positive in life and I look forward to trying to maintain a certain ratio of happiness daily.

Pleasure is entirely different to me than happiness. Pleasure is just something you enjoy doing which makes you feel good, but happiness goes to my core, it makes my heart feel good, as well as a good feeling outwardly. I take pleasure in spending time at a good dinner with friends, where I am truly happy cooking a meal for my family and watching them enjoy it together. I take pleasure in watching my kids play their Wii game system, but I am happy when I see my sons get along and help each other out doing homework.

I feel happy when I see my sons get along with younger children taking time to show them how to do things they are having difficulty doing. On the other hand when they play a game, I take pleasure in them winning a game honestly coming home hungry, then I am happy to see them eat all the food that I cooked for them.

Both of these feelings are ones which I would love to keep a plethora of, for they both are positive and good things to have.