Many people might think that if they had more money, then they would be happier in life. For example, people might look at what others have, like expensive clothes or nice cars, and wish they could have the same. But the things that money can buy cannot bring happiness to a person for a long time.
But is that really true? Studies have found that money can, in fact, make people happier. But it's not having money that brings happiness. Instead, it's giving money to others that makes people happy. It could be buying a gift for a friend or a family member. It could be buying a homeless person food to eat. It could be giving money to a person in need. Just think about the last time you used your own money to do something for someone else. How did you feel? Whether it is a small large amount of money, people feel happier when they give. This is because making someone else happy makes the giver happy, too.
This idea of connecting (关联) your happiness to the happiness of others is called ‘ubuntu' in an African language. There is even a story about a man visiting Africa. He asked some children to race to a nearby tree. The first child to touch the tree would get a sweet treat. Surprisingly, all the children held hands and ran together. They all touched the tree at the same time. The man asked whythey did this. The children simply said they could only enjoy eating the treat if everyone had one.
