Donte Washington

January 12 2016
Professor Jizi
UWRT 1102

The Source of My Happiness

Happiness is an interesting topic. It is a delight that everyone experiences often. My
definition of happiness is the moment where one is perfectly content with the idea or situation
presented to them. Given this, there are many moments throughout the day where I experience
joy and my most memorable memories are associated with happiness. My happiness comes from
my friends, family and my experiences. All of these things have caused me both happiness and
sadness but are still important to me.
One thing that I know can always make me happy is track. I had started track my junior
year in high school and had strictly joined for the purpose of being healthy. I would have never
imagined that the coach had bigger plans for me to become the main male hurdler on varsity by
the second semester. Through the pain, suffering and track memes I made it through and found a
fondness for it. Whenever I was on the field I was overcome with a new sense of belonging. I
enjoyed every aspect of it! It helped me discover my passion for jumping hurdles. All of the
elements including the competition, the jumps, the anticipation, the fails, the victories, the team
bonding were important contributions to this happiness. If a normal gym student were to simply

walk onto a track their typical reaction would most likely be sad due to the fact that they have to
run. But for me it is completely opposite; I cannot manage to hide a smile on my face to the fond
memories I have of the environment. The memories I have associated with the track are too
pleasurable for me to walk onto a track and not smile. The experience is so different that I call
my friends from track "Track friends" and refer to them as nothing else. To this day I could tag
one of them in a meme on Instagram and we could all relate to the experience that we've all
shared.
My family is a touchy subject when talking about happiness. They have caused me a
good amount of grief but I could honestly say I could not have been where I am today without
them. It was thanks to my Dad that I found a fondness for videogames because we would bond
over them with my two brothers. My mom has always supported me in any and everything I did.
She was always there for moral support and I strived to make her proud of me. We also made
plenty of inside jokes that I could laugh about for hours. My brothers are what helped me carve
my social life. I spent more time than I should with them and that helped me develop my
personality now. I have spent a great deal of my patience showing my brothers what is the right
thing to do with their life and they have not taken any of my advice until they are in need of my
assistance and I can only forgive them a certain amount of times. My older brother was a terrible
role model and my little brother was a nuisance. I guess you can say we have a love-hate
relationship... mainly hate but never the less, they're my brothers.
Another happiness I cannot doubt is my love for music. I have been in band since the
sixth grade and have loved it ever since. I had wanted to join the orchestra to play violin because
I loved the sound of it but didnt because my brother was in the orchestra. I then resulted to
joining the band to play the flute which was the closest I could find to the violin. I do not regret

my decision to this day. I later discovered that the oboe existed and fell in love with it. I continue
to make breath taking melodies with it. I never really thought I would be as affected by music as
I did. It was as if I had walked into a candy shop with unlimited access and combinations.
Nothing can simulate the joy of hearing perfectly balanced chords and harmonies combined with
flawless rhythms to make a chill strike up your spine. It is a different and rather opposite type of
happiness that I experience for track but none the less equal. Music is and always will be life.
Whether Im playing, composing or listening to music, ranging from classical to hip-hop, I
always seem to feel more relaxed. It is hard not to appreciate the different types of music and the
fact that there is a wide variety of styles makes it more enjoyable. I hold the title band geek with
pride because there is a fondness to music that I hear and appreciate.
Happiness is an important factor in everyone's life and it must be enjoyed. We don't take
the time to appreciate the happy moments and reflect on the memories that make us smile.
Happiness is everywhere one must simply identify when it happens. It is so natural that people
tend to overlook it. This is why our natural god given rights are Life, Liberty, and THE
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!