This story was inspired by a real moment in my life. More than twenty years ago, a British man—who was a friend of my senior—came to Thailand in search of work. At the time, he faced difficulties with housing and finances. My senior asked if I could offer him a place to stay temporarily, and I agreed.
After living in my home for a while, he asked me why I had helped him so much. I told him I didn’t expect anything in return. I simply hoped that, one day, if he met someone in need, he might remember this kindness and offer help in return.
That thought stayed with me. I began to wonder: what if kindness could travel from person to person, like a gift passed hand to hand? And so, The Journey of Happiness was born—a gentle tale about a rare flower, a secret tunnel, and the joy that grows when we choose to share.*
Let’s read “The Journey of Happiness” together
Deep beneath the earth
Almost no one knows that beneath our world lies a secret network of tunnels. These tunnels connect different lands together — and only the animals know their secret paths.
The panda’s gift
One sunny morning, a little panda was happily munching on bamboo leaves. Suddenly, he noticed a rare and beautiful flower blooming shyly behind a clump of bamboo.
The panda knew that this special flower would bloom for only one day before it wilted. He wished his best friend, a penguin living far away at the South Pole, could smell its sweet fragrance too.
If he traveled the normal way, the flower would fade for sure. But the panda knew where the secret tunnel began! So, he placed the flower carefully in his basket and hurried through the hidden passage — all the way to the icy land of the penguin.
The penguin’s idea
The little penguin was overjoyed to receive the rare flower from the panda. After his friend returned to China, the penguin thought, “I want to share this lovely scent with the baby kangaroo in Australia.”
Once again, the journey was too long for the flower to survive. But the penguin also knew the way into the secret tunnel! He gently carried the basket in his beak and waddled through the hidden passage — until he reached the kangaroo’s warm and sunny home.
The kangaroo’s hop
The baby kangaroo was delighted to get the rare flower from the penguin. After the penguin went home, the kangaroo thought, “I’d love my friend, the little elephant in Africa, to smell this beautiful flower too.”
So, he tucked the flower safely into his pouch and hopped—boing, boing, boing—through the secret tunnel, all the way to the great plains of Africa.
The elephant’s surprise
The little elephant was thrilled to receive the flower from the kangaroo. But soon, he too wanted to share the happiness.
“I’ll give it to my best friend,” he said. And his best friend lived far away… in China.
He wrapped his trunk around the basket, stepped into the secret tunnel, and followed its winding path back to his dear friend’s home.
Full circle of joy
Do you know who the elephant’s best friend was? That’s right — the same panda who had first found the flower!
The panda was amazed and overjoyed to see the rare flower again. In just one day, it had traveled around the world and come back to him.
If he hadn’t shared the flower, he might have had to wait many years to see it again. But because every friend wanted to make another happy, the journey of happiness began — and never truly ended.
Happiness grows when you share it.
#NitanNambun — Tales that bring kindness to life
If this story touched your heart, feel free to share it with someone you love.
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