Pic by CairoDar.com

The term ‘Happiness’ varies from one person to the other. We all go seeking it, never fully understanding what it truly means. We’ve made it seem like a utopic far, far away land, always ahead of us, somehow intangible, yet still within our reach.

Here are 10 Egyptians from different socioeconomic backgrounds who’ve shared with us what happiness means to them:

 

“Happy is he who starts a project. Happy is he who finds that his life is worth living. Happy is he who has an idea and has the capacity to execute it. Happy is he who has a successful married life. Happy is life in itself.”3am Reda, driver

“All days, thank God” Nasser, driver

“Happiness, simply put, is when life seems to be going well for you, nothing more than that.” Saada, cook

“Happiness is making your dreams come true. It’s knowing what you want in life, and actually doing it. Whatever you love, it’s about making it come true and living it.” – Hassan, kiosk keeper

“What’s happiness? Chocolate is happiness. Food is happiness.” – Sara, student

“Happiness is having someone by your side through thick and thin.”Yomna, student

“Happiness is just being happy in everything and anything, in your house or with your kids. Happiness is having your mind, body and soul at ease and in peace.” – 3am Ramadan, concierge

“It’s to see you. Happiness is having your mind at rest and to stop worrying too much. It’s to be satisfied and content with yourself and your surroundings.” – Mina, lawyer

“Happiness is a really profound state of being. It’s peace. It’s being fulfilled and feeling like you’ve done your duty and what you needed to do. It’s being at peace with yourself and with the universe around you. It’s being in harmony with the world and with the whole universe, no matter what that means to you.” – Mona, teacher

“Happiness is bits and pieces. It’s not a permanent state of being. It’s more like excerpts of your life. Moments you cherish. Like that time your boyfriend told you he loved you, or that time you danced with your dad at a party, or that time you hugged someone you had missed for such a long time. It’s just bits from our lives. Moments that we’d never trade for anything. That’s happiness I think.” Farida, writer

 

From 20 year olds to 60 year olds, the term happiness remains uncertain. It tends to fluctuate around notions of satisfaction, peace and harmony. Although people of different socioeconomic classes didn’t seem to have entirely different stances on what happiness is, but it’s clearly perceptible that those of a more modest background gave simpler and more humble meanings to the term ‘Happiness’.