The Definition of Happiness
An Englishman, a Frenchman, and a Russian were discussing the true meaning of happiness.
"True happiness," said the Englishman, "is getting up at the break of dawn, riding your favorite horse with your favorite dogs alongside, and chasing the fox. Then, that night, sitting in your chair in front of a roaring fire and drinking brandy. That is true happiness."
"No," said the Frenchman, "that is merely having a good time. True happiness is when you meet a beautiful woman and you spend the day with her on the Riviera, walking on the beach, dining at the best restaurants, drinking the best wines, then, that night going to your apartment, or her apartment, and having fantastic love with her all night. That is true happiness."
The Russian shook his head and said "No, my friend, that is just animal pleasure. True happiness is when you've just gotten home from working your 12 hour day at the tractor factory, and you sit in your favorite chair, the one with the rickety leg. You sit you son, Mikhael, in your lap and read to him from the daily Pravda, when there's a loud rap on your door. You open it and find three burly men with ill fitting trenchcoats who say 'Sergei Ivanovich, you will come with us!' And you say 'No sir, Sergei lives one story up -- that is true happiness."
