Madinabonu B., Centerville High School
Choose Happiness
Happiness is not always a feeling, but rather a choice. You can spend your entire life feeling miserable, waiting for something to happen, but it never will until you choose to make yourself happy.
I was in 3rd grade during the summer of 2020 when my parents went on vacation back to our home country. They were supposed to be gone for a week, so I didn’t think much of it, but while they were at the airport, their flight got cancelled because of the pandemic. My heart dropped- my siblings and I were left here- all alone- in the U.S. That day, my mother’s tears, born from her longing to be with us, filled my heart with sorrow.
I knew she was worried about us because we weren’t used to being independent. We had always relied on our parents for everything, from cooking meals to waking us up for school. Looking back, I realized how unprepared and immature we were.
My older siblings held the responsibility of taking care of us, so they worked part-time jobs while I stayed home and took care of my younger brother. I felt responsible of making sure that he wasn’t bored because I didn’t want my parents and siblings to worry about us. I fed him, played with him, and even cleaned up after him- things I would have never done before. Seeing him smile made me happy.
Later, a wave of boredom washed over us, leading us to the forbidden treasure- the secret stash of candy hidden in the pantry. This was the best part about being home alone! We unwrapped each piece slowly and ate as much as we wanted and then hid it back as if nothing ever happened. In an effort to be productive, we decided to tackle the mountain of laundry- a decision we would soon regret. As we were picking up the clothes, a dark, oval shaped gem fell out of one of the garments, and in our overactive imaginations, it turned into a devilish bug. Sounds of our screams ran through the air as we looked at each other in fear. We ran up the stairs and dove headfirst into a pile of pillows on our couch. After what felt like an eternity, we finally realized what it was and we burst into laughter.
When my parents came back home, they realized how much we had learned and grown in the span of five months. Like how every other parent wants, they were proud of how much we cared about each other while they were gone. All the tough moments we went through together really brought all of us closer and we weren’t as distant as we used to be. Although I missed my parents, I chose to be happy and distract myself. I chose to enjoy being home alone and spending time with my younger brother. This choice made me realize that happiness isn’t how we feel, but how we act.
