ESL Blogs

During Chinese National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival in 2012, CCTV [China Central TeleVision] launched an interview program. The jounalists from CCTV went to grass root and asked many of them a question "Are you happy?" This question became a hotly debated topic overnight.

Mickey also watched some of the interview videos, among them some were funny but bitter. The rapidly developing economy brings people better life than before, meanwhile causes people heavier pressures. I was thinking about that question also. At that time I was still at university, so I thought I had not tasted the full taste of life, at least I didn't know what the difference between society life and school life was. I was well protected by my parents.

Working as a translator after graduation, I start to know a little about the difficulty of life. Yet I chose what I like, so I am enjoying it even though sometimes I need to work overtime. And more proud, I live independently now. So I can say I am happy.

Hmmm, this question pushes me to think about people's standards of HAPPINESS. Sometimes when my clients ask me "Mickey, why do you always wear a sincere smile?" Often I reply to them "Because I don't push myself hard and I don't have anything to worry."

I believe once your concepts change you'll see a wider world. Right now I don't have a high salary and I am in a low position. Some of my friends even invited me to their cities and they could help me find a better job with a more decent salary. But I know who I am. I am a greenhand, whatever job I take, I should learn ABC gradually. Salary to me is important, but not the most one. The most important is, as time goes by, Mickey is learning and growing, and some day when a nice opportunity comes I have the ability to catch it. Such concept makes me patient and calm to my work, even though sometimes I envy some of my classmates who are now working in an important position.

I don't push myself hard. I am slower than others but I am fine with it. I started school later than my peers; when they started love at high school, I was still a nerd and bookish kid; when some of them form their familes, I still haven't started my love...Yet, I am enjoying my days. Nowadays when some people ask me why I am still single, I will just smile to them and tell them "no why, just I let nature take its course." I take what life offers to me and wait for what it will offer. All the others have experienced, I will experience also, maybe just in a different time and different way...

So my standard of happiness is being simple and take your natural steps. You know what you want, and you walk to it; you don't know what you want, then try to figure it out in life.

Are you happy? ;-)