Wonderful People and a New Word Shiawase
I am writing this blog post early, on September 1st.
Having been away so much this summer, I can’t stop thinking of all the wonderful people with whom I crossed paths. So, I start my favourite month blown away by the brilliance, kindness, generosity and wholeheartedness of all these lovely humans. And I feel spontaneous moments of joy just remembering the people I know, love, am related to, live with, spend time with along with those I barely know, including many of you reading this blog post. I feel unusually fortunate to be in your company.
I don’t know what the word happiness implies when someone asks, are you happy? It is such a slippery word, at least for me. And it has all kinds of variations, depending on who is doing the asking. If you ask if I am unhappy, it is an easy and immediate no. But happy? I am more of the “contented” type, or the eudaimonia type that the Greeks aspired to. I have so much to be grateful for, and I love my life.
A reminder of eudaimonia:
No one is grateful for a flood or beautiful trees uprooted, or a destroyed home. No one is grateful for a diagnosis of cancer, auto immune disorder, or heart disease, yet even in those moments there is always something to be grateful for: the emergency response team, the hydro workers, the neighbour who shows up bearing a care package; the life-saving medicine. We can not be ok and still be okay.
The Greeks have a word to describe the paradox:
Eudaimonia
According to the School of Life, “it is eminently possible to be fulfilled and – at the same time – under pressure, suffering physically or mentally, overburdened and, quite frequently, in a tetchy mood. This is a psychological nuance that the word happiness makes it hard to capture; for it is tricky to speak of being happy yet unhappy or happy yet suffering. However, such a combination is readily accommodated within the dignified and noble-sounding letters of Eudaimonia.”
On Saturday, as I was musing about people, meaning and contentment, I received an email from a writer I follow, Kaki Okumura, and she was writing about happiness. To my surprise, she used a Japanese word – new to me – shiawase.
The Japanese nuance for happiness
“The Japanese word for happiness is ‘shiawase’, but it is slightly different from American ‘happiness’.
Shiawase isn’t used to describe pure pleasure, but carries connotations of satisfaction, contentment, and peace. It’s a contemplative feeling, one that is not just felt but often self-observed.
The word shiawase comes from the phrase ‘nashi awaseru,’ which is not a noun, but the verb “act together”.
In this way, happiness was historically understood not as a state of being, but an action– to find happiness is not just feeling happy, but it’s an experience with someone or something else.
Nashi: Act, do
Awaseru: Put together, match
Nashiawaseru: Act together
To experience shiawase we must feel gratitude for someone or something else– to feel shiawase is to feel thankful: How did I get so lucky to spend time with these wonderful people, in this wonderful environment?”
And there it is. This new word sums up my experience of this summertime, 2025. A deep bow to you all. And a special bow to Kaki Okumura, who taught me this expression. Warmly, Trudy
Notes
1) All the photos are from Gabriola Island, thanks to my son Rob, taken this weekend.
2) I wrote this on Monday, but it will get sent out on Wednesday. Let’s see if this works. Fingers crossed.
3) So much appreciation for all of you who continue to read my blog. A thousand thank yous.
4) May you enjoy all your moments of shiawase, while you can.
Trudy, in Lansing, MI. where I lived for 50 years, there is a Shiawassee Street, so I wonder if this doesn’t also have some Native American meaning, as so much there is Native American. Glad you’ve had a good summer. I struggle with tri-geminal neuralgia, a painful nerve condition in my face. No certain treatment. May you be blessed and my best to Gottfried as well. Carol
Thank you dear Carol. That is interesting – the name of the street. I somehow think there may be a connection.I am sorry to hear about your condition. Living with pain is no easy matter. I appreciate your good wishes and wish the same back to you. Kindly, Trudy
My wonderful grandchildren and I often talk about “fun” and happiness. Being active high schoolers, they find lots of fun each day, and have many happy moments to share with me. They have been concerned that I say I rarely have “fun”, and are interested in how and why I appreciate contentment.
Despite personal and familial struggles, physical and otherwise, I can say I am supremely content. To me, happiness is ephemeral and contentment a balm to my spirit.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Laura, for your kind commentary. I appreciate your story as it is familiar to me as well. On the other hand, finding spontaneous fun and joy in small moments is worth noticing, especially when we are with our grand-kids. I appreciate your thoughtful note and may you continue to be blessed with many moments of contentment. Warmly, Trudy
Love is the medicine for my life. Husband, children, grandchildren and friends.
Family can be good medicine. Thank you dear Janet for this reminder. Best wishes, Trudy
To not be okay and still be okay – this is something I am familiar with, though not the word eudamonia. Love hearing new words to describe things I experience – thanks Trudy. May your contentment continue to grow. xoxox
Thank you dear Janice.I am looking forward to our time together on Saturday morning.Warmest wishes, Trudy