Assignment 4- Katie Demos

"It doesn't matter what you do in life, so much as you're happy."
 A simple sentiment, echoed by my parents and aunts and uncles and supreme authorities ever since I've been old enough to listen while sitting still(probably 8 years old). Wealthy people say it. Middle class-ers say it. Public figures and philosophers say it. And for years of my young and undeveloped life, you'd hear me say it too.
This mantra is passed around as a guidance for kids to lead their lives. I used to believe that life was about pursuing your passions; succeeding, living a life that you can look back on and smile about when you're 75. In theory it's a good philosophy. A simple goal for people to aspire to that fosters a kind heart and wise mind. And in my opinion, this saying rings true when it pertains to personal life and achievement. I can't put my finger on when or where my respect to this idea changed, but it's clear to me now as to why.
In life you should be happy. But you should also be sad a lot. And angry too! You can't experience highs without hitting rock-bottom lows. Success is born out of perseverance in light of failures. Happiness shouldn't be something that you expect- it should be a surprise that you can be thankful for. There is so much more to living than personal happiness. You must give to others and try to create happiness for them as well. You must create and invent and change and question. You must give up and quit, then push yourself and try again.
When I'm 75, I don't want to think about how happy I used to be- I want to remember the changes I made and how I shaped a better world for future generations. I want to have experienced every shade of emotion life could've offered me.
Let's create a world like this for our children, where they will learn to expect more than simplicity. More than just happiness.