Happiness doesn’t only come during big moments or times of grand achievements.
For some, it’s the little things that stay with them the most.
In a Reddit thread posted to r/askSingapore on May 10, user Jolly_Pin9994 asked Singaporeans to share about the happiest day of their lives.
While some pointed to major milestones — from the birth of their child to marriage proposals and graduations — several highlighted much simpler moments such as trying strawberry ice cream cake for the first time as a child.
“It is the only time I ever remember being super happy. Until now, I still get ice cream cakes for my birthday,” shared a user.
Another recalled cycling to the polyclinic as the happiest day of their life.
“Although it was just [an] eight minute-[ride], I felt so free in the morning sun, and [there weren’t] many people blocking my path,” the user wrote, who added that being healthy is true wealth.
“I got my referral, went to dabao Ya Kun and bought some groceries and cycled back home again feeling the same awesomeness!”
Beyond these simple moments, a few commenters also reflected on deeper, personal stories that have stayed with them through the years — one such story came from Maryam, a user who recalled the day she received her O-level results after retaking the examination.
According to the 28-year-old, she had decided to retake her O-levels after receiving a D7 grade. Maryam’s teacher “did her best” to support her in her studies and showed unwavering support in her decision.
The teacher would give her resources from past examinations and constantly engage with her to ensure that she was keeping up.
In an interview with AsiaOne, Maryam said her teacher also encouraged her to clarify any questions and egged her on with words of encouragement and praise.
“On results day, I went to look for her in the office. The smile on her face is something I can never forget,” she shared on her Reddit post.
“She saw my results and was so extremely proud that she did little jumps while telling me how proud she was and how much she believed that I could definitely make it. [It was] one of the best days of my life because not even my parents cared about the huge jump in [my] grades.”
Maryam, who prefers not to share her last name, told AsiaOne she received a B3 grade after retaking the examination.
Another user pointed to graduation day from university — not because of the academic achievement, but because of the shared familial memories.
“My dad and brother came and had the biggest smiles. We took lots of photos, a memorable one was where my brother helped with my dad’s tie,” the user wrote.
“They poured in money and effort into making sure I had a good education throughout the years and perhaps this was a time when they saw it all pay off. We went to eat zi char at Katong after to round off a great day. One of the best memories of our whole family.”
In 2025, Singapore was ranked the world’s third happiest city, according to the Institute for the Quality of Life’s Happy City Index.
The list assesses cities across six categories, including citizens, governance, environment, economy, mobility and health.
[[nid:715922]]
Read the full article here
