What Happiness Means to Me! – Marilyn Chee

I joined the working world 8 years ago upon graduating from the National University of Singapore. During the span of my career, I had been a researcher, an analyst, a project officer overseeing infrastructure projects and a customer service manager. Being a teacher is the latest entry in my career history. Life has offered me a fair share of twists and turns and experiences beyond my expectations. I still hold certain memories with fondness of former colleagues who have taught me much about life in their own ways.

By chance, I assisted in some children’s holiday enrichment programmes. Despite my quiet and reserved nature, I found myself getting along quite well with the children who attended the classes. Since then, I have progressed on to academic teaching in mathematics and reading. If there is any academic subject I feel confident enough to teach, it is mathematics. It had been a part of my life since age 7 till university. Now I have reconnected with the world of numbers, formulas, calculations and correct answers and have made it a way of life. Life is interesting the way it has turned out!

When I am in a class and my students greet me, it feels good. I like the feeling of being addressed as a teacher. My identity has changed from that of a regular person walking on the street to being a teacher. In an instant, the word ‘teacher’ holds an added meaning for me. I see myself as a guide who possesses certain knowledge and understanding, and hopes to share it with the younger generations as they go about life acquiring knowledge and learning about the world around them.

It is true that teaching offers much joy. When you see the look on a child’s face changing from confusion to clarity and understanding, knowing that he or she has learnt feels very much an accomplishment. Through teaching, I am adding to a child’s learning and making a small difference in his or her life. For all the teachers who have taught me, I can attest that they made a difference in my life. Seeing myself contributing to shape the future generations, the work I do has a very meaningful purpose. It is indeed a blessing and a great privilege to be a part of the teaching force.

That is my happiness!

I would also like to share with readers some tips to keep their happiness going.

• Keep a happiness journal.  Pen down all the wonderful memories since age one. Challenge yourself to list out one hundred.
• Pen down the amazing experiences you have had so far in 2008.
• List the very-important-others who are a huge part of your life. For each person, write one attribute that you really appreciate about them. Add a little story or incident to go with it if there’s one.
• Write all the significant achievements that you have accomplished since age one.
• Write down all the goals that you have set and achieved for 2008.
• Write down what else you are thankful for.
• Read through what you have written every now and then and keep your happiness alive.

To round off, here are some of my favourite happiness quotes:

• Happiness is the innocent smile on a child’s face.
• Happiness is a feeling you need not ask for more.
• Happiness is more lasting when the driving force is internal.
• Happiness never runs out for happy people.

Marilyn Chee is a Singapore-based freelance educator in mathematics and phonics reading.