My happiness

(DN) - Sometimes people think that happiness must be something really big, when we reach our dreams, go to far horizons or have everything we want in our hands. But for me, happiness is really simple, it exists around me, in every ordinary moment of life, especially in the love of my parents and older sister.

My happiness is that every afternoon after school, amidst the bustling crowd, as soon as I step out of class, I see my father waiting in front of the school gate. My father is tall and thin, his skin is tanned after a tiring day of work. Just seeing my father's gentle smile, hearing his voice softly asking: "Did you have fun at school today?", my heart warms up as if I have just found the most peaceful thing in the world.

My happiness is when my mother picks me up, chattering to me about all the happy and sad things in class, about the teacher praising me for doing well on my test, about me accidentally leaving ink stains on my friend's shirt, or even about which friend I ate lunch with today... Mom doesn't interrupt, just smiles slightly, attentively driving while listening to every sentence, every word.

Sometimes, my mother gently asks me back, then analyzes for me what I should do, what I need to learn from so that I can see things with a more loving and tolerant heart.

On afternoons like that, I feel strangely happy. Just sitting behind my mother, telling her stories, listening to her instructions and advice, all my tiredness disappears.

Last Friday afternoon, as the car rolled down the long road, my mother looked at me and asked softly:
- Did you have fun at school today?

The head pendulum:
No sir

But mother still looked at me for a long time, her eyes seemed to read everything that was hidden.

- Is something wrong?

Hearing my mother say that, tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. I choked up and confessed:
- I got a F in Math… I've never seen those problems before!

Mother smiled softly, her voice as light as the wind:
- So do you know where you went wrong?

The child nodded and mumbled:
Yes, I know!

Mother stroked her child's head, her voice still gentle as always:
- That's good. Go home and review your lessons! Luckily, this is just a review and not a test. You still have time to do it again. Now, stop thinking about it and get some sleep, honey!

I leaned my head against my mother, feeling the warmth spreading, gentle and strangely protective. A moment later, I softly asked:
- Mom, why don't you scold me or hit me like many other children?

Mom smiled, held her hand and said:
- Because I know my daughter has good intentions, she's just not careful and diligent enough. You just need to fix that.

Mom’s words gently penetrated deep into my heart. All worries and sadness instantly disappeared. In that moment, I felt empowered, a gentle source of energy called Mom’s love.

My happiness is also when my mother buys the exact food I like. Today, after school, the sun was hot, and as soon as I entered the house, I saw my mother had already cut a plate of cool, red watermelon in the refrigerator. On the dining table was a plate of sweet and sour squid and fragrant grilled ribs - all my "favorite" dishes.

Just seeing my child eat well and smile, I gently ask: "Is it delicious, child?"

The child smiled, raised his thumb and joked: “Mom is a cooking genius! If you entered the contest, you would definitely win first prize!”

Both mother and daughter burst out laughing, the laughter resounding in the warm kitchen, like a pure happy note of their own home.

My happiness is also the mornings when my second sister ties my hair neatly. Her hands are skillful, her voice is gentle: "It's beautiful, my little darling" or the evenings when she sits next to me, guiding me through each calculation, each new English vocabulary, then smiling and encouraging: "Good job, you're almost done!".

For me, happiness is sometimes just an evening when the whole family gathers around the dinner table, listening to Dad's laughter and Mom's warm voice. It's when I tell stories about school, Mom listens, and Dad occasionally interjects a joke that makes the whole family laugh. Those seemingly ordinary moments are the most precious things that time cannot bring back.

For me, happiness is knowing how to smile and say hello every time I see my dad, knowing how to say thank you when my mom cooks delicious food, knowing how to hug my older sister tightly when I have the chance… Just that, is also a way for happiness to be nurtured and grow day by day.

Khanh An

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/van-hoa/chao-nhe-yeu-thuong/202511/hanh-phuc-cua-con-1e806b4/