The German word schadenfreude has found a place to rest in our English language. It is the spirit of the times. Some are failing to become better angels of their nature as divisions political and otherwise, fester and news and media items rejoice in other’s misfortune.
Image https://unsplash.com/@schmidy
It is refreshing to come across
the nobler words in circulation such as the Hebrew word Firgun. It
is the antonym of that trait. It captures the
essence of rejoicing over other's happiness. It prompted me to write the
following micro memoir:
Firgun (Hebrew) Taking Pleasure in Other’s Happiness
My wife asked me what was my happiest
childhood memory? It was the day my two friends came and asked if I was coming
with them? It was a spring morning,
and we took the ferry across to Kelvin to visit the museum.
We were there for several hours and on our return, we were rubbing our tummies with hunger. A man said, ‘Here’s a half-crown, buy yourselves ice-cream.’ We jumped up and down singing ‘Chips, glorious chips.’ Then… we stopped…went silent. The man told us to buy ice-cream.
But he just smiled, and we jumped up and down again singing ‘Chips, glorious chips.’
And I would have to say, that was my happiest childhood memory; the day the kind man smiled and thought it was okay to buy chips.
*
Reflecting on that man's kindness all these decades later, I sense he found great pleasure in our happiness.