Happiness or Joy?

I wrote this for my English class last spring, and I would like to share it with more people than just my professor. Let me know what you think.

Happiness or Joy?

If a person could choose to feel one emotion for the rest of his or her life, which would he or she choose? There is no doubt anyone would prefer happiness. But what exactly is happiness? Is it an emotion that can be sustained? And similarly, what is joy? Is it synonymous with happiness? Perhaps it has a different meaning. All of these ponderings could have different answers, but in order to conclude anything, a common ground must first be reached. As English philosopher, lawyer, and scientist Francis Bacon asserted, “...The  Idols of the Marketplace are the most troublesome of all: idols which have crept into the understanding through the alliances of words and names” (551). In this script the word “Idol” refers to an illusion or misconception. Bacon emphasized the importance of defining words, just as “Idol” was clarified. In order for people to reach a common ground, they must first have the same basic definition of the words they are discussing. In this case, that can be achieved by defining both happiness and joy. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary online, the definitions are as follows:

Happiness: 1. good fortune: prosperity 2 a: a state of well-being and contentment: joy b: a pleasurable or satisfying experience 3: felicity , aptness

Joy: 1 a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: delight b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion: gaiety 2: a state of happiness or felicity: bliss 3: a source or cause of delight

The second definitions are the typical ways to define these words. Happiness is a feeling, while joy is more of a state of mind. A person can be happy and joyful at the same time. While it is not as common for a person to be happy and sad at the same time, a person can often be joyful and sad simultaneously. An example of this would be: a young boy gets to his favorite team’s basketball game. He anticipates it, and finally the day comes. The game is thrilling, but the team loses horribly. Although he feels sad about the loss, he still has joy because he was able to go.

 “Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy is independent of anything that happens to me.” – Rich Wagner

“Everything exists in limited quantity - especially happiness.”- Pablo Picasso

 “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” — Henri Nouwen

Happiness is a reaction to situations and conditions. Joy is a mind-set. A synonym of joy could be “a positive outlook” or “purposeful happiness.” Joy is choosing not to be upset. Happiness is the effect of a cause. Joy often causes the effect. Many different things make many different people happy- there is no one way to determine the root of sheer happiness. But joy can sprout from any and every circumstance, no matter the severity of goodness or badness. Doing so is often very difficult, but many times a person will find happiness from seeking joy in a situation. Searching for joy can lead to happiness.

Since there is no such thing as a perfect world, happiness cannot be sustained. Happiness is based on occurrences in a person’s life, and since bad things happen, no person can be endlessly happy. However, a person can choose to be joyful. While it is not likely he or she will be continuously full of joy, by choosing joy the person will be significantly happier. Neither happiness nor joy is an emotion that can be sustained, but joy is something that can last much longer since it is not nearly as fleeting as happiness.

The word ‘happy’ was first recorded in 1340 A.D., and came from the Middle English  word ‘hap.’ The Middle English word first came from a Norse word ‘happ,’ which meant a “fortune” or “chance.” The word ‘happiness’ eventually came to mean a “good fortune.” ‘Joy’ was around much earlier, first in 1225 A.D., and also came from Middle English. That word was derived from the original Latin word, “gaudia,” meaning a “feeling of pleasure or delight.” Even back then, the two words were not synonymous. Joy was described as a feeling, and happiness was a good circumstance. In today’s society, the definitions are becoming more distinct and even less synonymous. One doesn’t say “I am joyful that the weather is nice”- instead ‘happy’ is the preferred adjective.

To begin to understand the similarities of and differences between these two words, common definitions must be determined, as Francis Bacon stressed in his philosophy of The Four Idols. Although the definitions are quite similar, the two words are not synonymous.  Examining them from various viewpoints helps to determine just what they mean. A very important idea is that happiness is an emotion, while joy is a mindset. Even if all emotions point in the opposite direction, a person can still attain a level of joy. Though there is a noticeable difference between the two words, oftentimes today they are still interchanged. By defining the two words and searching for examples, however, it is very easy to distinguish between the two, in hopes of using the correct word to express one’s self.

Hope for Haiti

Okay...so there's a new button on the side of my blog. ------>



Wild Olive Tees makes some of the sweetest shirts around, and I've been wanting one for a while now. Their newest one is the "Hope for Haiti" shirt, which says "Hope" on it and includes Matthew 12:21- "And His name will be the hope of all the world." Like many groups/organizations have been doing, 100% of the proceeds go to helping Haiti. I think it is a really cool shirt, just like all of their other ones.

Check it out!

Hope for Haiti

My Predictions...

If you haven't yet heard, the Olympics are coming up! 

(In exactly a week, to be precise)

In case you haven't picked up the hint from my previous blog postings, my all-time favorite sport is figure skating. I know a lot of people who also enjoy figure skating, saying "I love watching it during the Olympics." The Olympics are a hold-your-breath-this-only-happens-every-four-years type of event. What makes it so exciting for me personally is that I follow skating throughout the entire year, every year. So watching a skater's talent culminate in an Olympic season is very, very exciting! Believe me, I am about as in-depth as a person can go when it comes to this sport- it is my one true passion. 

I have made my predictions about these next Olympics, in regard to figure skating. If you don't know any of the competitors, or if you do and want to see if you agree with me, check out my guesses for gold medalists.

For ice dancing, it's up in the air. There are several teams from North America who could win the event, but I personally think Meryl Davis and Charlie White will come out on top. This U.S. team has peaked this season, and I hope their scores will only get better in the next couple of weeks.

For the men's event, I give the gold medal to the Russian Evgeni Plushenko. He won the Olympics back in 2006 and although he took the last 4 years off, he came back into competition with his renowned skill and power. I believe he can pull it off again...but Canada's Patrick Chan, and Americans Evan Lysacek and Jeremy Abbott could give him a run for his money. This will be an EXCITING event. 

The pairs' event. I was hesitant in picking the winner for this, since the top teams have fluctuated a lot in the past couple of years. My prediction for gold is Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy from Germany. This event I am the least sure about, since there are 2 Chinese teams that could easily surpass them. I think it's really tough to call, even though I am leaning toward Savchenko and Szolkowy.

Ahhh...the ladies' event. Korean Kim Yu-Na is right on track to win gold...she seems untouchable in both artistry and technicality. Our American skaters are not top contenders, although both are very good. I would probably bet money that Kim will sweep this event, as long as her nerves don't get the best of her (which has not been a problem yet). Other possibilities are Joannie Rochette of Canada and Mao Asada of Japan. There is so much talent in this area, and it's always been my favorite event!

If you cannot tell I am SUPER excited for the Olympics!!! Although February tends to be a dull, monotonous month, every four years it shines. And this year is one of those shiny years...I cannot wait. :)

Conflict.

Are you ever so overwhelmed by life and emotion that you cannot even find the words to describe what is bombarding you? I am feeling that way now. I'm not yet sure what my mind is holding inside that is so violent, but I am hoping to soon find the words to describe it. I think part of it is the never-ending conflicting opinions and interests of everyone on this earth...but I haven't quite thought it out. All I know is that these differing thoughts weary me so.

I need to think through some thoughts and come to a point where I can digest all that is in my mind. Right now all I do to handle it is hold it inside without reasoning with myself and seeking truth, then when it becomes so overwhelming I go and have a cry. I want to come to the point where that is no longer necessary. I'm not sure if this makes sense to anyone at all, but this is what is happening (and has happened several times in the past). These conflicting thoughts occupy my mind until I can create my own philosophies- something that my mind can make sense of.


I've already posted this before, but this describes exactly my circumstance.

The colors swirl incessantly in my head

A black watercolor, a white oil paint

They churn and turn about, never mixing, always shifting

Two emotions, these are

How can there be two so different, but yet they inhabit the mind concurrently?

A sheep

Its wool

With it I weave a tapestry, completely and solely white

Without a trace of tainted black

But the black still dances in my head

A bare, white wall

It screams excruciatingly as I pass it

With a black marker, I cover it

So the white no longer looks through

And the black leaves my mind

But oh, the mind

There is no black, no white

Only empty thoughts that soar higher than a bird

But that emptiness feels good

And only then am I truly satisfied 

Have you heard this song?!

It'll be sure to give you a laugh.


Shaving Cream Song



Lyrics:
I have a sad story to tell you.

It may hurt your feelings a bit.

last night, when I walked in my bathroom,
I stepped in a pile of...
Shaving cream, be nice and clean!
Shave every day, and you'll always look keen.

I think I'll break up with my girlfriend.
Her antics are queer, I'll admit.
Each time I say "Darling, I love you,"
She tells me that I'm full of...
Shaving cream, be nice and clean!
Shave every day, and you'll always look keen.

Our baby fell out of the window.
You'd think that her head would be split.
But good luck was with her that morning.
She fell in a barrel of...
Shaving cream, be nice and clean!
Shave every day, and you'll always look keen.

An old lady died in a bathtub

She died from a terrible fit.

In order to fulfill her wishes,

She was buried in 6 feet of...

Shaving cream, be nice and clean!
Shave every day, and you'll always look keen.

When I was in France with the Army,

One day I looked into my kit.
I thought I would find me a sandwich,
But the darn thing was loaded with...
Shaving cream, be nice and clean!
Shave every day, and you'll always look keen.

And now, folks, my story is ended.
I think it is time I should quit.
If any of you feel offended,
Stick your head in a barrel of...
Shaving cream, be nice and clean!
Shave every day, and you'll always look keen.

Unsuspected beauty

The majority of young single people today aren't happy with the fact that they don't have a significant other. Recently I've realized how completely not helpful this attitude is to the rest of their lives. In fact, having the attitude of ungratefulness in any situation can be a major downfall. But it is particularly bad in regard to relationships.


I've been reading "Passion and Purity" by Elisabeth Elliot as of late. I find it kind of funny, actually, because when I was younger I thought it would be a dumb old-fashioned book. How wrong I was! It is an incredible book, chock full of helpful insights and outlooks for single people. I have found that many of my own thoughts are in the book, as well, which is comforting to know I'm not alone in my thinking.


Recently breaking up with my boyfriend was tough, but right after I kind of took on the attitude of "It's okay. God's got someone even better out there." This may be true, but I was holding on tight to the hope of getting married someday. Since I was still holding onto that, God didn't have everything. I wanted to give Him everything, but I was so, so afraid that singleness might be permanent for me. Eventually and very gradually, I've been learning to give EVERYTHING over to Him. One of my fears was described exactly in an entry in Elisabeth Elliot's journal- "Read about Henry Martyn of India, who had to choose between the woman he loved and the mission field. Shall I have to choose between marriage and mission?" That fear overwhelms me from time to time, but then I remember (with the help from so many wonderful Psalms) that God knows best and WANTS best for me! What an assurance that is, which in return creates such joy. Joy in the possibility of singleness? Yes, it is possible. Not easy, though! Giving all parts of your life to God is difficult...another quote from the book says "The bringing of our unruly wills and affections into order- will cost us something." Although I haven't experience all the benefits of fully trusting God yet, I know for a fact it is always worth it.

New Year's Resolutions...or not.

I really didn't make any resolutions this year. I've sort of done it in the past, but they weren't meaningful or motivational at all.

I was looking through a journal recently, and something I wrote down 2 years ago really struck me. It wasn't a real resolution, but I had written that I wanted to "consider God's Word (our daily bread) just as important as real bread."

Wow! Did I really do that? Not really.

So I've decided to try to live out that statement this year. I am resolving to take on this mindset. I wholeheartedly believe that reading God's Word is very important, but I have never taken any steps to make it one of my top priorities. 2010 is a great place to start.

I encourage you to do the same- I am sure that you will be satisfied with what you find.