The Body Paragraph of my Essay about "Happiness"

Amita Bose
English 8
Mr. Salsich
April 28, 2009

TS Artfully hidden among the beautiful phrases and graceful truths of Jane Kenyon’s poem “Happiness”, the message that happiness shall return, lives. SD Kenyon likens happiness to the prodigal’s son, who returned home after “[squandering] a fortune away”. CM The prodigal’s son left his birth place to see the world and returned a man with little money, but he gained wisdom during his travels. CM Likewise, happiness shall go as it pleases, but we must realize that it will always return. CM The comings and goings of happiness teach us to appreciate the feeling of bliss while it graces us with its presence, just as the prodigal’s son learned about the world when he stepped beyond the walls of his home. SD Also, happiness will “[inquire] at every door until he finds you asleep . . . as you often are during . . . your despair”. CM We need not seek happiness, for if we try to, we will find that it is ever elusive. CM We must trust that happiness will eventually find us, even during our darkest hour. SD This message proved true when my grandfather passed away when I was seven years old. CM The grief was stunning, and I couldn’t seem to sense anything but the crushing feeling of sorrow. CM I remember that I ran to the window, wildly hoping that I would see my grandfather’s soul floating among the snow laden branches, but as I stared out the window, I saw two small children tumbling about in a snow drift. CM I could faintly hear their shouts of laughter and joy, and as I stood there, feeling my excruciating sorrow, I was suddenly touched by the children’s happiness. CM They were floating in their own world of pure bliss, and knowing that they were so happy raised my spirits as well. CS Happiness shall come and go as it pleases, but we must put our faith in the fact that it shall always return, no matter who we are, where we are, or what our lives have brought us.