Happiness In Canada

Words: 1415
Pages: 6

Why are people in Canada, a country bordering the U.S. on the north, so contented with their lives? Frankly speaking, this is not the question intended to flirt with the frothy illusion of American mainstream that “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”; instead it is really a rational inquiry springing from the urge to decipher the secrets of the good life in Canada. Only the things intrinsic on the subject of happiness, mainly contributing to what have made people in Canada happy, are in focus here. For whatever the untold story it might be, it is a pity that Canada is excluded from the book, The Geography of Bliss, penned by a grumpy journalist Eric Weiner to narrate his phenomenal quest for the truth about why people …show more content…
On the subject of happiness, the relationship between happiness and religion is well established that people who go to religious services tend to be happier than those who don’t. But, “It’s not what we believe that makes us happy but the act of believing” (Weiner 174). In other words, it is not that God makes people happier, but the participation of church services provides people with an oasis of social gathering to foster cozy relationship with others. “It is these relationships that account for a large chunk of our happiness” (Weiner 216). One way or another, the relationship between happiness and sports, especially Hockey in Canada, also echoes loudly the findings about the relationship between happiness and religion. In Canada, hockey is a national sport, which is also part of national identity and culture, nearly “77% of Canadians believing that it was an important national symbol” (Canadian Identity). Additionally, the participation in hockey is the number one obsession among Canadians. If you’ve never been to Canada, you would never have had the opportunity to experience the Hockey fever, so popular and ubiquitous almost in every corner of Canada. For most of Canadians, Hockey has tremendous and tenacious spiritual significance, matching up with or even transcending over the religious significance for its worshipers. In some degree, …show more content…
In fact, different countries have different flavors of happiness, and there are many ways leading to happiness. The happiness of Canada just embodies one particular path. As a consequence of a blessed geographic location, the natural resources coupled with an effective government have fostered a prosperous economy. And, the economy has supported a fair and equal society, a great healthcare, a national Hockey pastime, and a sense of security among people. In turn, the sense of security has been boosting an overwhelming satisfaction. Then, the satisfaction has been sublimated into an overall happiness that shared by all Canadians. Are we, Americans, still curious why the grass is greener on the Canadian yard? Simple and straight, the Canadian land is smiling harder! Should we suggest Eric to replace America with Canada within the chapter ten of the book, Geography of Bliss, provided he considers another new edition? Mai pen lai. Maybe our parched yard is overgrown with weeds, but it is still our yard to live with and