Wonders of Happiness in Animals - Week 4.2 - Discussion

[Prof. Sirius Fudge]

For this week, we shall explore on animals and happiness in general. In my research, I have come across a page listing 9 animals that symbolize happiness. Six of them are discussed here.

 

Bats – have negative meanings in western culture but are widely respected in Chinese culture and seen as symbol of happiness and good fortune.

 

Bluebird – this little bird radiates positivity, happiness, and joy as well as hope, good news, and exuberance. In Korea, it is seen as a messenger of God. For Native Americans, it is associated with the sun and an embodiment of dawn, optimism, joy, and hope.

 

Canaries – Canaries are strong symbols of happiness. They are yellow, and yellow birds symbolize happiness. Their chirpy demeanor can improve moods and make us more upbeat. They also mean enthusiasm, good fortune, freedom, and liveliness.

 

Coyotes – In Native American folklore, the coyote is a guide to find contentment in life and in the present. It can teach us to seek joy and happiness and let go of our fears and insecurities.

 

Dogs – Dogs cheer us up when no other humans can. There is a reason why they are man’s best friend.

 

Dolphin – Dolphins are playful, enthusiastic, and symbol of happiness and enjoyment of life, and symbol of the inner child. It is a reminder of finding joy in important things, may it be in your hobbies, passions, or relationships.

 

There are other animals that are symbols of happiness. For this activity, in a minimum of 100 words, you can expound on one of the animals below or add an animal that can be a symbol of happiness, based on other references or your own convictions and perspective. No worries, there are no wrong answers here. If you have less than 100 words, you can also include an image of your proposed animal symbolizing happiness (not greater than 600x600 pixels). Kindly follow HOL rules. Indicate the references used, if any. Reply your submission in this thread before end of April HOL time to earn 30 diamonds.

[Janne Halla]

I was so surprised to see just how many animals it's said that they represent happiness. I've found way more than 9. However, I agree with the sentiment I've found while researching this that said that any animal represents joy or happiness to someone. I liked that.

 

One such animal is a duck! Apparently, it's because of their gentle and endearing (to humans) nature, that they sometimes represent laughter and happiness. It also serves as a reminder to people of laughter's ability to heal some types of wounds.

 

If a duck crosses your path, or otherwise unusually catches your attention, it means that you need to see whether you've got enough happiness or fun in your life.

In some other cultures, such as in China and Nigeria, they specifically symbolize marital happiness and fidelity.

 

 

Source: https://www.uniguide.com/duck-meaning-symbolism-spirit-animal

[River Fenwick]

I delved deeper into the symbolism of bats and happiness. As mentioned, bats are viewed as representing good fortune in Chinese culture. One reason for such symbolism of these creatures is that the Chinese word for bat sounds very similar to the word for good fortune. This culture believes that seeing one of these creatures will bring good news or luck, hence the symbolism of happiness associated with them. In China, bats are often shown as pairs, which means double blessings and joy. They even use five bats (five also being a symbol of good fortune) in a design to represent five blessings: longevity, health, wealth, virtue, and natural death.

 

Source: https://www.houseofgoodfortune.org/bonheur-blog/lucky-peaches-and-bats

[Dibyarup James Potter]

Butterflies serve as a symbol of happiness across the globe. These delicate creatures flutter gracefully through life, growing from a caterpillar to a completely different-looking flying inset bearing gorgeous colours and patterns, symbolising transformation, beauty, and joy across various cultures and beliefs. In many cultures, butterflies are seen as messengers of good news and positive change.

 

In my country, if a butterfly (if it’s a yellow one, then even better) sits on an unmarried person, it is a sign that they might soon find the love of their life or even get married. Also, butterflies are often linked with the concept of freedom. Their ability to soar through the air, unrestricted by boundaries or limitations, embodies the freedom to pursue happiness and live life to the fullest.

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

A bird which, whenever I see one, always seems to inspire 'lightness' in me is the hummingbird.  I did a Google search for 'animals which symbolize happiness' and saw the hummingbird listed, as well as coyote, dolphin, dragonfly and others.

 

I clicked on hummingbird and found that, not only does it symbolize happiness, it is also symbolic of peace, healing, vitality, infinity (?) and joy.  I think that listing peace in there is sort of funny, in that, have you seen hummingbirds at a feeder? But yes, I can see them as a symbol of peace. (Aside -- the dove is representative of peace, in many places. I've seen doves drive off larger, more aggressive birds, at a feeder, and allow smaller birds to feed there, in peace.)

 

Back to the hummingbird.   This is of an oddness to me. Do people in other continents besides the Americas have hummingbirds?      Wikipedia says this: "Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With approximately 366 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but most species are found in Central and South America."   So I did a search for "Where are hummingbirds found?" and got this: "Where Do Hummingbirds Live? The almost 340 species of hummingbirds are entirely restricted to the New World, where they can be found from Tierra Del Fuego to southern Alaska and from below sea level deserts to steamy tropical forests at elevations of up to 16,000 feet in the Andes of South America."

[Prof. Sirius Fudge]

*nods* Animals alone are enough to fill this world with happiness.  30 diamonds go to:

 

Dibyarup James Potter

Janne Halla

Prof. Tarma Amelia Black

River Fenwick