By Eleni Bow
It has been said that anything can be accomplished as long as you have a “recipe for success.” While this may be true, Delta students also believe there is a recipe for happiness – a merry formula created by themselves.
This recipe isn’t complicated. You probably have these “ingredients” in your life already. The cooking time is just a few seconds of reflecting and gratuity.
Step 1: In a bowl, start with a base of freshman Megan Boyle being surrounded by friends. “I came from a school [in New Jersey] where I didn’t really have friends, but now coming here I have a lot of new friends,” she said.
Step 2: Add in 16 ounces of senior Mackenna Bell’s personality. “I feel like my purpose is to make other people happy…making people happy makes the world better,” Bell said.
Step 3: Sift 2 cups of going for a run from senior Clay Batio. “I enjoy running so much because you can have a bad day at school or something and then you go run and run it off, and that definitely helps,” he said.
Step 4: Slowly incorporate 1½ teaspoons of secretary Kelli Edwards’ love of goats. “I have nine [goats] just because they make me smile,” she said.
Step 5: Let mixture rest for the time it takes for history teacher Holly Hopkins to enjoy a meal with her children. “My children are all grown and have moved out of the house but they come back and see my husband and I every Sunday for lunch,” Hopkins says. “Sitting around the table and eating with my family makes my heart sing.”
Step 6: Sprinkle in a spice mix of senior Kassidy Royal’s love of music, singing, Disney and making her clay characters. “I always make people smile, like with playing the piano in choir,” she said.
Step 7: Mince and incorporate ¼ cup of puppy love from freshman Noelle Longsworth’s two dogs. “The world needs more happiness,” Longsworth said. “Everyone is so sad.”
Step 8: Pour ¾ cup of junior Ryder Turner and his love of life’s mystery. “There’s some beauty in the fact that life can change all of a sudden because the things around us are all so unique,” he said. “I think that’s what just really brings me happiness is the idea of not knowing what is going to happen, but still having faith that it’ll all be okay.”
Step 9: Add three slices of freshman Hudson Ewing’s love of making others laugh. “I try my best to make people happy and try to support people as best I can,” Ewing said.
Step 10: Make a sauce mix of freshman Jordan Bunch’s enjoyment of playing soccer, swimming and running track. “I like it when people are achieving their goals, especially when I can help them with that,” she said.
Step 11: Stir in one quart of senior Mabrey Stebbins’ appreciation for self-care and self-love. “I also think that it is important to make myself happy, and do things I enjoy and that put me in a good mood,” Stebbins said.
Step 12: Make a concentrate of freshmen Jacob Williams and Maddie Utsler’s love of other’s happiness. “When I make people happy I make other people happy too, which makes other people happy, so it’s like a chain,” Williams said. Utsler added, “I love putting a smile on peoples’ faces.”
Step 13: Let rest for thirty seconds, then serve with junior Grace Flowers’ thoughts on happiness. “There’s this quote that I really like, ‘Happiness doesn’t mean being perfect all the time, it just means looking past the imperfections,’” she said. “I think I like that because I think people perceive happiness as ‘Oh, this person has a perfect normal life,’ and I don’t think that.”
Happiness, no matter how it comes to be or what puts a smile on your face, is something that can be enjoyed and served by all.
