How do you define joy or happiness??

I would be completely happy with my life if I do not out-live my children. Everything else in my life is fleeting. The love I have for my children goes beyond description.

I am sorry Malamar but I cannot complete your sentence, because there is no "if". I am completely happy with my life the way it is and I don't want to change anything about it. I have been very happily married for almost 50 years. I have five wonderful sons who have each married the perfect woman for him. All are in top level jobs and living happily. They have so far given me five lovely grandchildren. I spend long hours writing and doing design work for a children's ministry that I have been involved with for more than 30 years and I love every minute of my work. I rejoice in the reality of my relationship with my loving heavenly Father God, through the Lord Jesus Christ whom I have known, loved and served for 51 of my 73 years. He is my everything and He gives me real joy. I would not change anything about my life. I am happy. I am joyful. I lack for nothing.

I would be completetly happy with my life if I have every thing I have today for ever and for that Im thankful

if I knew nothing bad was going to happen to my family. For me it is all about family and if they are happy and healthy then anything else in life you can sort out with love and everyone pulling together to overcome whatever it is that is bothering the other person.

I got or came near getting what i desire in life.At every stage in life we wish for something,when we are young to excel in studies/sports.At next stage to get a good job/material things.Later it may be spiritual or uplift of those worse of than us.It may also be fame.I feel one would be happy if we came near securing what we desired of life though its very difficult.

I can't complete the sentence malamar because I already am completely happy with my life. There isn't an "if" for me. I already have a wonderful loving husband, a successful and wonderful son, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and four of the greatest grandchildren in the world. We aren't rich monetarily and we don't want or need to be. We make enough to have a nice home, pay the bills, eat regularly and even have a vacation or two every year. Other than a few aches and pains (understandable given our age), we are all healthy. What more could a person ask for?

Pls. allow me to just respond without completing the line, I have this strange feeling that it implies a wish of a sad or a less happy person. LOL Happiness is not a permanent state that one aims to reach. It is a result of an experience and usually doesn't stay. Feelings and attitudes change depending on the circumstances. I remember a domestic helper asked for a raise and she specified the amount of $50. Her request was readily granted and she was jubilant and was jumping with joy. After a few minutes, she was frowning again blaming herself for not asking $100. "stupidd of me, I should have asked more" was her cry. Happiness is only a by product of something, either a new experience or new tangible material acquired, sooner or later, that feeling will be gone. Fortunately, life goes on and will give us another reason to be happy again. Cheers.

Happiness: The experience of feeling good - experienced inside and often expressed outwards, and noticeable by others. It can bubble up unexpectedly from within, or it can be triggered within by some external situation, event of object. Joy: The experience 'delightful happiness', not necessarily triggered by external stimuli, and perhaps less outwardly expressive that the way in which happiness is often displayed.