How do you make yourself happy?

The other day, when I was
taking a bath with my fourth-grade son.

I suddenly asked him a question.

How do you make yourself happy?

It's been my theme lately.
I was curious
to see how he would answer.

First, as a premise.

Since it's your own life,
you are free to do whatever you want.
But you know,
you are responsible for your own life,
so for example,
if you just play games all day!
or eat nothing but snacks!
do you know
what will happen later?

After talking about that,
I threw him a question.

What would you do if all the side dishes tonight were things you hated?

My son thought for a moment.
Then he answered.

Mom knows what I hate,
so she probably would have
made something else for me.
I would try to find
happiness in what is available.

(Oh wow! That's good... really good ^^)

As I was impressed, saying,"Hmm..."

he asked me a question back.

How about you, Mom?

After thinking for a few seconds,
I answered like this.
(I think it was probably my honest feeling)

Well, for me...
I wake up in the morning, clean up,
see everyone off,
and then go to work, right?
Then, I come home,
make dinner for everyone,
do the laundry...
When everything for the day
is finished safely,
I feel relieved,
and I feel happy ^^

Then my son said.

Huh? That's super eco-friendly!
You don't even need money ^^

That's right.
That's exactly it.

Both my son and I
are unconsciously practicing
making do with what we have
.

I feel as I write this now that it also connects to
"knowing what is enough."

Going somewhere,
obtaining something,
those are not the only forms of happiness.

As I am now,
even if I don't get anything from the outside,
even if I don't try to fill what is missing,
(because in truth, it is already enough)

the moments when I can feel relieved
and at peace
already feel like happiness to me.

Perhaps it is because I know
that the ordinary daily life
is not something to be taken for granted.

Even if I cannot do great things,
I carry one drop.
That is the hummingbird spirit.

I have
arrived at this way of living.
I think I like this. ^^

Today's one drop
was a conversation with my son
that warmed both my heart and body. ^^

Aru.