Felicity (n.) intense happiness.
It is funny how one can be so happy in such grim conditions, but I have not met a soul here yet that isn’t filled with joy.
It’s incredible. I’ve seen kids and adults alike smile pretty much nonstop since I’ve been here.
It is my opinion that a place like Haiti, with hardly anything but the people themselves, is a much happier place than one with so many luxuries that we are overflowing and focused on them.
For example, I have never once seen these kids not smiling, but I have seen them almost every day since I’ve been here, often wearing the same clothes that they did the day or two before.
Yet they are SO HAPPY.
It is an example to follow, for sure. To find joy in the real things, like people and experiences. (And fútbol… I have NEVER seen a sport bring so much joy as this one does for these kids.)
This is the most prominent thing I have learned in the 12 days that I have been here. I have learned from the Haitian people that in all things there is a silver lining, so why waste time being sad?
And in case you’re sad now for any reason, here’s a picture of one of the kids that makes him look like a minion…
He laughed so hard when I showed him the picture and he walked around with his shirt like that for an hour just cracking himself up.
And here’s some pictures showing how happy a bucket of water can makes some children:
The best part of my day was seeing a bunch of kids piled in this bucket of water having the time of their life. As happy as it made them, I never thought a bucket of water would make ME that happy!
Sonder (n.) 