An 8-year-old boy wanted to buy a car, and after thinking about it, his father said this to him

Two days ago, a friend came to my house to sit, drink tea and chat. It was very pleasant. During this period, we talked about whether it was our childhood happiness or the childhood happiness of our children now. My friends and I both feel that today’s children are happy, but if we think about it carefully, we are all happy. There is no comparison, because happiness is a feeling, and everyone’s feeling of happiness is different in each period. However, although today\’s children do not lack material conditions, what they lack is happiness, and they do not know that happiness is around them. I remember when my son was still in the second grade of elementary school, I rode a bicycle to pick him up after school one day. He sat behind the car, tugged on my clothes and asked, \”Dad, when will our family buy a car?\” \”Is it a car? I don\’t know.\” \”Several of our classmates already have cars.\” The son\’s tone was somewhat reluctant. I said \”Oh~\” and said nothing more. How could I freely agree to a child without a house or a car at that time, and I have been working hard. Since I had a child, my life has completely changed. The young man who was once a personality has turned into a dad who only lives for daily necessities. In order to create happy conditions for my children and to enrich my own life (I don’t want to sit on a chair until I retire), I decided to venture into the sea. My son is still young, so of course he doesn’t know all this, let alone understand my hardships. This is understandable. What I worry about is that he will develop a comparison mentality, which is not a good thing. How can I tell him what happiness is? After dinner, when my son finished his homework, I called him to my side and asked: \”Son, did you see that some of your classmates have cars and want them too?\” \”No!\” He said. Pouted. \”That\’s good. Comparison is not good. Then why do you want to buy a car?\” \”It\’s great to have a car. You are not afraid of wind and rain. You can go for a drive when you have nothing to do. How happy you are!\” The son raised a happy smile. I also laughed, shook my head and said, \”Happiness is not directly related to whether you have a car or not. Happiness is a feeling.\” My son looked at me with his mouth slightly open and his eyes wide open, with a look of confusion on his face. Yes, what is happiness? This topic is so broad and floating that sometimes we ourselves can’t explain it clearly. I thought for a moment and said, \”If we had a car, I wouldn\’t love you anymore. Now that we don\’t have a car, but I love you very much, which one do you think would make you happy?\” \”Of course you love me.\” My son said without thinking. Before I could answer, my son continued, \”Wouldn\’t it be happier if you had a car and loved me at the same time?\” I laughed out loud, such a clever little boy. \”Of course Dad will always love you. I just want to tell you that happiness has nothing to do with cars. Happiness is only with love. Cars, houses, etc. are all material things. Do you know what material things are?\” The son shook his head, \”To put it simply , are things that can be bought with money. These things can bring convenience and enjoyment to our lives, so Dad has been working hard to make money because we have to live. But you have to know that things that cannot be bought with money are the only things that can be bought with money. The most precious, such as: love, health, happiness.\” My son listened carefully, and I continued while I was still talking: \”Happiness is a feeling, and everyone feels different. For example, a person feels happy when he is basking in the sun on the beach. A disabled person feels happy when he can stand up, and a person feels happy when he gets a piece of bread when he is very hungry, and…\” \”I know, and I want to eat ice cream.When you buy me a stick of ice cream, I am very happy. \”The son jumped in and said, \”Yes, little greedy cat. \”The son understood a little, and was a little proud. \”Then do you know that having what you have now is happiness? \”I deepened the question. \”I don\’t know. \”Because you have never lost.\” When a person loses love, loses health, and loses a happy childhood, he will know how happy he is now. Happiness is a cup of boiled water. It is tasteless and easy to get, so we do not feel its existence. When we are thirsty, we only think of it and realize that it has a faint sweetness. It has always been by our side, and we have not gone. Discover, it is happiness, simplicity and joy. \”I finished speaking in one breath, mostly for myself. It is obviously impossible for my son to fully understand, and I don\’t want to explain too much. He still has a long way to go in the future, and he needs to understand it slowly, but tonight\’s During the chat, he at least vaguely understood that happiness is a feeling, love, and having the present. Don’t be in a hurry, the present is enough. Text | Chen Weiliang