Happiness

The other day I talked with a Filipino woman who is in her 30's .
It was really interesting.
1. Are you a happy person?
People around me must say that I'm a happy person. However my family or some close friends may say that I'm conservative and tend to lack spirit.

2. What are the three most important things for you to be happy?
Health, friends or family, and --- to tell the truth, some money.
Probably we don't need lots of money to feel happy, but at least some money is necessary.
Though you might think I lack good taste mentioning money, thinking about money is important.
Sometimes having too much money makes people unhappy. On the other hand these days the number of young people who "cannot" be dependant from their parents because of earning enough money is increasing in Japan.

3. Does having an animal/pet make you happy?
Yes, for some people having pets is important. In my case, I used to have a cat. She died about 6 years ago. I thought I would have another pet, but I didn't. These days I sometimes go to Tokyo, and I'm away from home. So I don't want to leave my pet alone.

4. When was the happiest time of your childhood?
Probably it was the happiest time when I was in the kindergarten. Because what I remember in that time is just playing. For 16 school-years, though of course I had lots of happy things, I hated exams.

5. Are the people in your country generally very happy?
I hope so.

6. Do you agree that older people are less happy?
I don't think so.
Actually the older we get, the more we have health problems.
But when we get old, we are free from studying hard like our school years, working hard like our business years, nursing kids our parents years. We have a  right to enjoy our free, or I wish I can use the right dignifiedly. And I know these days it's getting difficult.

7. What is or was the happiest time of your life?
As I sometimes moan, I miss the time of living with my daughters.
So the time of living with four members might have been the happiest time.
But I think I won't live with my daughters again. Because they don't listen to me like when they were kids.

8. What is missing in your life that would make you very happy?
To tell the truth, these days I'm not so good. So sometimes I think if I were more healthy.
On the other hand it's enough.

9. Do you feel that you have to work hard and  now in order to be happy later?
As I tell you, I worked enough, though Yuki (my husband) has to work hard more for a while.
So I want to enjoy working. I'm lucky to run this small English school at home. Thanks of students I feel less lonely, though sometimes taking care of kids students is troublesome.