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Sometimes I feel like we too often look for happiness in faraway places. We want a bigger house, more income, a better car, or a vacation to an unheard-of destination. There's nothing wrong with any of that. I certainly have such desires, too.
There are days when my happiness is simply a cup of coffee that I can drink without interruption. There are also mornings when my child calls, "Ayah," and comes to hug me. It's so simple, but somehow it feels enough to make the day feel lighter.
Maybe happiness is like that. It's not always crowded, it's not always expensive, and it's not always possible to photograph it to share on social media.
1. Happiness When the Morning Begins with Simple Things
I love the morning atmosphere at home. Not because it's always perfect, quite the opposite. Sometimes I wake up and hear my daughter crying, looking for something, or asking for breakfast.
This morning, for example, I was sitting drinking coffee. After just a few sips, my daughter came over and said, "Ayah."
Just one word.
I turned and he was smiling.
It was strange, but that little smile made me smile too. The coffee, which was actually quite ordinary, suddenly tasted more delicious.
From there, I started to think again that happiness often comes from things we don't plan for. We might think we have to wait for the weekend, wait for payday, or wait for a vacation to feel happy. But there are many small moments that actually come every day.
Eating breakfast with the family, watching the sun come in through the window, hearing the voices of people at home, or simply sitting for a few minutes without rushing can also be forms of happiness.
While eating, we think about work. While working, we think about bills. When night falls, we think about tomorrow's plans.
Eventually, our bodies are home, but our minds are wandering.
I still do that often.
So, now I try to enjoy the little things that happen. When I'm drinking coffee, I try to savor it. When my daughter is telling a story, I try to listen. It doesn't always work, but at least I'm learning.
2. Happiness Can Come from Spending Time with My Child
Becoming a father has made me view time differently. My daughter grow up so quickly. We used to think they'd always be little, but suddenly they're able to do so many things on their own.Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting at home with my child. I was still thinking about some unfinished work. There were a few things I wanted to work on my laptop.
But my daughter asked me to play.
At first, I said, "Later."
He asked again.
He asked again.
Finally, I closed the laptop and joined in for a while.
The game was simple. No expensive toys, no special place, and no money. We just played and laughed.
A few minutes later, I realized that perhaps these are the moments I'll miss most.
My daughter probably won't remember how much money I made this year. They probably won't care what work I completed today, either.
But they can remember that their father once sat with them.
I'm not a father who always has a lot of time. I'm still often busy. There's work, responsibilities, and various things that need to be done.
But I'm starting to learn that family time doesn't have to wait until everything is done. Because if we wait for the work to be truly done, we might never have time.
Simple joys sometimes only require a few minutes of undivided attention.
Putting down the phone.
Closing the laptop.
Listening to the children's stories.
Joking around.
Or simply accompanying them over a meal.
Things like these may seem small now, but they can become big memories years later.
The children played nearby.
The house was dark, but the atmosphere felt warm.
There was no television on. No notifications. No work chasing after us.
At that moment, I realized that a home doesn't have to be perfect to make us happy.
Sometimes a simple home filled with laughter feels much more enjoyable than a nice place where everyone is busy with their own world.
I began to enjoy things like eating together, sitting in the living room, cleaning the house together, or just joking around before bed.
For me, home isn't just a building. It's a place where we can be ourselves without having to be perfect.
We can be tired.
We can have problems.
We can't have everything we want.
But as long as the people we love are there, there's always reason to be grateful.
Seeing other people buy things made me want to have them too. Seeing others travel makes me want to go. Seeing others succeed makes me feel like I'm still behind.
Such feelings are very human.
But if we let them linger, we can lose sight of what's truly right before our eyes.
A few mornings ago, I was sitting alone after dropping off my kids. I opened my phone and looked at other people's posts.
Some were on vacation.
Some were buying new cars.
Some were building houses.
Some were celebrating business successes.
For a moment, I felt like my life was going on as usual.
Then I put my phone down.
I looked at my house.
I saw my family.
I thought about the people I still see every day.
Suddenly, I realized I also had many of the things I had once prayed for.
We often forget that things we now take for granted might have been our dreams just a few years ago.
Having a family.
Having a place to come home to.
Having a job.
Having something to eat today.
Being able to sleep peacefully.
Being able to meet the people we love.
All of that sounds simple, but it's actually incredibly valuable.
Being grateful doesn't mean we have to stop having dreams. We can still want to grow, have a better life, and achieve many things.
The difference is, we no longer postpone happiness until all those desires are achieved.
We can pursue something while still enjoying what we already have.
In my opinion, that's one of the most difficult and yet most relaxing forms of maturity.
Birthdays.
Holidays.
Vacations.
Getting a bonus.
Achieving a goal.
However, if happiness were only allowed to come on special days, most of our time would be spent waiting.
Last night, for example, there was nothing special. There was no celebration and no major accomplishment.
I simply had dinner with my family.
After that, my child played, and I sat watching him.
Not long after, he approached and asked me to accompany him.
I joined in.
We chatted about small things that might seem insignificant to others.
But the evening was enjoyable.
Nothing extraordinary.
That's precisely why I enjoyed it.
I'm beginning to believe that happiness doesn't always come in the form of big surprises. Sometimes it appears quietly amidst the routines we go through every day.
When we laugh over trivial things.
When a simple meal tastes delicious when shared.
When someone asks, "Have you eaten?"
When our children call us.
When our partners smile.
When we can finally rest after a long day.
Maybe we don't need more big moments. Maybe we just need to be more aware of the small moments we already have.
I'm still learning about that myself.
As a father, I want my child to grow up understanding that life doesn't always have to be about having the most expensive things or being the greatest. I want him to know that enjoying time with family, helping others, laughing, eating together, and having a peaceful heart are also forms of success.
And maybe, when my daughter grows up, I'll miss the little voice that now calls me every day, "Ayah."
But they can remember that their father once sat with them.
I'm not a father who always has a lot of time. I'm still often busy. There's work, responsibilities, and various things that need to be done.
But I'm starting to learn that family time doesn't have to wait until everything is done. Because if we wait for the work to be truly done, we might never have time.
Simple joys sometimes only require a few minutes of undivided attention.
Putting down the phone.
Closing the laptop.
Listening to the children's stories.
Joking around.
Or simply accompanying them over a meal.
Things like these may seem small now, but they can become big memories years later.
3. Enjoying Home Without Having Everything
I used to think that a comfortable home had to have a lot of stuff. A nice sofa, a big television, attractive decor, complete furniture, and various items that make a house look cool.
But over time, I've come to realize that the comfort of a home doesn't always come from these things.
One night a few days ago, the power went out. It wasn't long, but it was enough to bring all activity to a halt.
The television went off.
The Wi-Fi stopped working.
My laptop work also stopped.
At first, I was a little annoyed because I still had work to finish. But eventually, I sat down with my family. We chatted.
The house was dark, but the atmosphere felt warm.
There was no television on. No notifications. No work chasing after us.
At that moment, I realized that a home doesn't have to be perfect to make us happy.
Sometimes a simple home filled with laughter feels much more enjoyable than a nice place where everyone is busy with their own world.
I began to enjoy things like eating together, sitting in the living room, cleaning the house together, or just joking around before bed.
For me, home isn't just a building. It's a place where we can be ourselves without having to be perfect.
We can be tired.
We can have problems.
We can't have everything we want.
But as long as the people we love are there, there's always reason to be grateful.
4. Happiness Comes from Being Grateful for What We Already Have
There were times when I focused too much on what I didn't have.Seeing other people buy things made me want to have them too. Seeing others travel makes me want to go. Seeing others succeed makes me feel like I'm still behind.
Such feelings are very human.
But if we let them linger, we can lose sight of what's truly right before our eyes.
A few mornings ago, I was sitting alone after dropping off my kids. I opened my phone and looked at other people's posts.
Some were on vacation.
Some were buying new cars.
Some were building houses.
Some were celebrating business successes.
For a moment, I felt like my life was going on as usual.
Then I put my phone down.
I looked at my house.
I saw my family.
I thought about the people I still see every day.
Suddenly, I realized I also had many of the things I had once prayed for.
We often forget that things we now take for granted might have been our dreams just a few years ago.
Having a family.
Having a place to come home to.
Having a job.
Having something to eat today.
Being able to sleep peacefully.
Being able to meet the people we love.
All of that sounds simple, but it's actually incredibly valuable.
Being grateful doesn't mean we have to stop having dreams. We can still want to grow, have a better life, and achieve many things.
The difference is, we no longer postpone happiness until all those desires are achieved.
We can pursue something while still enjoying what we already have.
In my opinion, that's one of the most difficult and yet most relaxing forms of maturity.
5. Simple Happiness Doesn't Have to Wait for a Special Day
I used to think that happy days had to have a special reason.Birthdays.
Holidays.
Vacations.
Getting a bonus.
Achieving a goal.
However, if happiness were only allowed to come on special days, most of our time would be spent waiting.
Last night, for example, there was nothing special. There was no celebration and no major accomplishment.
I simply had dinner with my family.
After that, my child played, and I sat watching him.
Not long after, he approached and asked me to accompany him.
I joined in.
We chatted about small things that might seem insignificant to others.
But the evening was enjoyable.
Nothing extraordinary.
That's precisely why I enjoyed it.
I'm beginning to believe that happiness doesn't always come in the form of big surprises. Sometimes it appears quietly amidst the routines we go through every day.
When we laugh over trivial things.
When a simple meal tastes delicious when shared.
When someone asks, "Have you eaten?"
When our children call us.
When our partners smile.
When we can finally rest after a long day.
Maybe we don't need more big moments. Maybe we just need to be more aware of the small moments we already have.
I'm still learning about that myself.
As a father, I want my child to grow up understanding that life doesn't always have to be about having the most expensive things or being the greatest. I want him to know that enjoying time with family, helping others, laughing, eating together, and having a peaceful heart are also forms of success.
And maybe, when my daughter grows up, I'll miss the little voice that now calls me every day, "Ayah."
About Me :
Hi, I am a father living in Bireuen, Aceh, Indonesia
I work as a Photographer in my small town.
This blog is my personal journal about simple happiness, fatherhood, and everyday life in a small town in Aceh.
Every story I write here is based on my real life experience with my daughter.
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