" Grandpa," she said, breaking the peace. " Who ' s this? The man in that painting?"
Her grandfather looked up from his book, a small smile forming as the wise gray eyes crinkled in recognition. " Ah, Aristotle," he said, his voice warm with nostalgia. " I was wondering when you ' d ask."
She set her mug down on the side table and leaned forward. " Aristotle? Like, the old philosopher guy? Why do you have a painting of him?"
Her grandfather chuckled and set his book aside. " He is not any ordinary philosopher, Louisa. Aristotle has guided me through life since I first knew about him in high school in my philosophy class. He taught me about true happiness."
" True happiness?" Sophia ' s brow furrowed. " What ' s that supposed to mean?”
His grandfather shifted his weight on the chair while choosing the right words. " Aristotle believed in a thing called eudaimonia. It ' s a Greek word that means something like ' human flourishing ' or ' living well.' He thought true happiness was not just about feeling good; it was about living a purposeful life using reason and practicing virtues like kindness, courage, and wisdom."
Finding interest in what her grandfather had revealed, she coked her head to one side, interested. " So, happiness isn ' t just about, like, having fun or getting what you want?"
“ You’ re quite right,” said her grandfather. " Aristotle said those things may be pleasurable at the time, but they do not bring about eudaimonia. He instead felt that happiness comes from living a balanced life, doing things that are meaningful, and becoming the best version of yourself."
Looking back at the painting, she felt perplexed. " That sounds... hard. How do you even do all that?"
Knowing she might ask that, her grandfather smiled even more and gestured to the room around them, " It ' s not as complicated as it sounds. You start with small things— helping others, being honest, showing patience. For me, it ' s about the choices I ' ve made over a lifetime. I decided early on to live by Aristotle ' s ideas. That ' s why I became a teacher."
Her eyes widened,“ Wait, Aristotle is the reason why you became a teacher?”
“ Well, kind of,” he said and looked at his college degrees placed beside the painting of Aristotle.“ I wanted a career in which through interactions and sharing of words I could contribute to someone else’ s growth. Teaching was a means to an end. And a family? That was my way of living virtuously, leaving behind a legacy. Watching you and your Mom grow up? That ' s my happiness."
Louisa sat quietly, digesting what had just been told to her. Then she faced the painting again.“ So if I were to live my life like Aristotle suggests, I’ d have to figure out what gives my life meaning?”
Her grandfather placed his hands on his knees and started to get up.“ You are already on the right track Louis. You’ re curious, reflective, and kind. Virtues that Aristotle would value highly. As you grow older and combine those virtues with knowledge, you’ ll find what gives your life worth living. Once you reach that stage, then you’ ll be in tune with his philosophy.”
With a new smile on her face, Louisa says,“ Thanks grandpa. I hope that happens.”
As he walked over to her, he chuckled and then said,“ Good. But remember, true happiness isn ' t a destination— it ' s a journey. And I ' ll always be here to walk it with you."
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