Third step to happiness: Spending quality time with your family

Nowadays, I am quite suprised when I hear people telling me how great their friends are, and how much they enjoy spending time with them.

I often hear all these, the sentences below:

- "I'm so gonna go out with my friends after the exams"
- "I love to spend time out with my friends, do you know how fun it is?"
- "I wish that I can spend more time with my friends, even if it's being together everyday!"
- "My friends understand me more than what my own family do"

So, what's the similarity between the above sentences? Well, it's obvious but if you still don't get it then it's the word 'FRIENDS'.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to spend time with your friends, but nowadays people (especially youngsters) seems to be spending more quality time with their friends instead of family.

Let me explain it further. It's like, going home and spending more than 8 hours with the family [just sitting around, with no interactions and complete silence]
isn't enough and it isn't considered as quality time at all.

Your family has always been here with you since you were young, till now. They are the ones who understand you the most, care for you the most, and they give you everything you need which could be love and as well as some luxury items that you've always wanted.

But, why? Why aren't kids nowadays spending quality time with their family? Why aren't they talking to their family and caring for them? If you are unable to communicate or even, UNWILLING to do so, then I am very certain that you won't be able to know what true happiness is.

At home, you have a shelter over you. Whenever you get upset and frown, guess what? I'm sure your family would be one of the first few people to notice it. If they are unable to console you or calm you down verbally, then they will surely try to do other stuff which can cheer you up. An example would be preparing a nutritious meal, though it do not always taste nice.

While for friends, you don't stay together with them hence you try to spend the rest of the time organising outings just to spend time together during the day. Friends are unable to put in all their effort just to care for you and look after you for 24/7. They can't be the first few to look after you when you fall sick, while your family members are. This is because they have their own families to look after and spend time with, as well.

Till you know how to spend quality time with your family, you will then get to know what true happiness is and how to get it.