Happiness is a full time job.
A Syrian man's defiance in the middle of the sea.
Some people radiate joy like the sun—warm, constant, and impossible to ignore. But even among the most upbeat souls, few shine with the relentless optimism of Hadi.
In 2016, on a 90-day journey across Europe to document the life lessons of refugees, we met Hadi—a sharp, stylish, 27-year-old Syrian man who greeted us with a smile that seemed almost out of place given the context. His life lesson? “Be happy, no matter what happens.”
This wasn’t blind optimism. It was a conviction forged through chaos. Before fleeing Syria by sea, Hadi had watched countless YouTube videos of people making the same dangerous journey. “I used to think, ‘This is madness. I’d never do that,’ he said. “But then I had no choice.”
When he finally found himself in that very situation—crammed into a small boat with 44 others, drifting in the middle of the sea—something unexpected happened. “We sang,” he said. “We were in the middle of the ocean, and we were singing. It was beautiful.”
His happiness wasn’t denial. It was defiance.
He wore sunglasses throughout the journey—not out of vanity, but principle. When they arrived in Greece, a friend told him, “Take them off. You’re a refugee now.” But Hadi refused. “I wanted people to see we are not aliens—we are people with dreams, desires, and style.”
Joy didn’t erase his struggles, but it shaped his stance in facing them. It became his resistance and resilience.
Happiness, he showed us, is not passive. It takes work. It takes choice. And sometimes, it takes singing in a boat on an open sea.
Choosing joy,
Team FUEL.
Have you ever learned something about happiness in the most unexpected way? We’d love to hear your story—share it with us here.