Writer
Anis Mansour once said:
"Happiness and joy are the feeling that you are not alone, and that the world is smiling at you." But that smile only truly shines when there is someone to share and multiply that joy. As the saying goes,
"Happiness is contagious," and it is only complete when someone shares in it, whatever its source, cause, or size.
اضافة اعلان
Some believe that sharing in others' sorrows and pain can be more important than sharing their joy, in order to ease the weight of their sadness. But at the same time, sharing joy is also a priority — anyone with good news looks forward to sharing it with others. Proof of this is that, out of sheer love for sharing happiness, people now rush to post it on social media.
Between a graduation certificate, a long-awaited marriage, and success achieved after years of hard work, those experiencing these moments choose to share them with others, and others in turn choose to be part of them. The joy is often not complete unless someone shares in it, it is not just a passing congratulation, but an expression of love, belonging, and happiness in another person's achievement.
Sharing Positive Feelings With Others
Recent psychological studies indicate that sharing joy and responding positively to it can strengthen relationships and increase feelings of closeness and belonging, turning another person's joy into a space where we too experience some of our own happiness. A study published in 2025 in the journal Computers in Human Behavior noted that the way people share emotions differs depending on their nature: people tend to share joy and positive emotions more openly, aiming to strengthen social bonds and share positive feelings with others.
By contrast, the study shows that sharing sadness and worries is more closely tied to a need for psychological safety and privacy, as people may hesitate to express negative emotions for fear of social judgment or unsympathetic reactions.
Another study, published in 2026, indicates that sharing happy events not only boosts positive mood but can also increase relationship satisfaction and feelings of closeness with others. And while sharing negative feelings can help relieve stress, repeatedly talking about them without adequate support may sometimes lead to increased negative thinking and rumination.
The same study found a clear tendency among people to share positive emotions on social media; such as joy, success, and gratitude, particularly in social and personal interactions, and that sharing joy differs from sharing sadness: people tend to share happy news and achievements for the sense of social appreciation it brings, the bonds and relationships it strengthens, and the way it allows them to fully experience positive emotions.
Seeing Joy and Happiness Through Others' Eyes
Eman Nasr believes that sharing joy is no less valuable than sharing sorrow. In fact, joy that others share with you may be even more genuine, because it often stems from sincere affection. She says: "Sharing joy is not less valuable than sharing sorrow, in fact, the feeling of someone who is happy for you is more genuine. Hardship may draw hearts toward you out of sympathy even without real affection, but joy comes only from a loving heart."
Basma says that happiness, for her, is not complete when kept to herself, it finds its true meaning when it reflects onto those around her. She notes that she thanks God for every blessing in her life and believes the most beautiful part of joy is sharing it with those she loves, especially her children and everyone who holds a special place in her heart. According to her, making others happy and seeing joy in their eyes gives her, in turn, a deeper sense of happiness and gratitude.
Murad Qteish believes that the joy we create in others' lives is never wasted, it leaves an impact that eventually comes back to us. A kind word may be the reason behind the smile of someone going through a hard time, or a simple question about how they're doing may make them feel they are not alone. That joy may return to its giver in a different form; at the very moment they need it.
He notes that the most beautiful part of making others happy is being the reason their sorrow eases and they feel that someone cares about them.
With the growing scope of sharing through social media, other people's joyful moments have become part of our daily lives — from graduation photos and achievements to wedding celebrations and personal milestones — turning individual joy into a collective moment shared by those around.
Strengthening the Sense of Safety, Belonging, and Appreciation
Here, psychologist and therapist Kholoud Al-Rafaea believes that family presence in moments of joy is not limited to simply attending an occasion, it leaves an important psychological impact on a person, especially when they find themselves surrounded by loved ones during moments of success, graduation, marriage, or any other achievement.
Al-Rafaea explains that family presence in these moments sends a person the message that they matter, and that what makes them happy also matters to those around them. She notes that words of congratulations, looks of pride, embraces, and shared laughter — however simple — can strengthen a person's sense of safety, belonging, and appreciation.
According to Al-Rafaea , a person's joy does not diminish when others share in it — it grows, because sharing transforms the experience from a personal joy into a collective moment, during which the individual feels that their achievement is also a source of joy and pride for those they love. The appreciation received from family is not necessarily tied to the size of the achievement, but to the feeling that someone sees their effort and celebrates what they have accomplished.
She also believes there is a difference between joy experienced alone and joy shared with family: the collective moment often becomes a shared memory, later revisited through conversations, photos, and small details, becoming part of the family memory that remains present for years.
A Sincere Word and the Expression of Joy
Al-Rafaea notes that expressing joy does not require grand gestures, it can be a sincere word, a hug, a photo bringing family members together, a spontaneous laugh, or even a tear of deep emotion. These details, which may seem simple in the moment, can later become among the most beautiful things a person remembers about that occasion.
She stresses that genuine participation does not mean mere attendance — it is tied to the quality and sincerity of that presence. There is a difference between someone who attends because they truly feel that another's joy matters to them, and someone whose presence is merely a duty, or driven by curiosity, comparison, or watching and judging others.
For her part, sociologist Dr. Fadia Ibrahim believes that people sharing in others' joys reveals an important aspect of the nature of social relationships. It is a simple gesture that carries sincere feelings and expresses genuine care, affirming to a person that their joy is not merely a personal matter, but can also be a source of happiness for those around them.
Ibrahim explains that the absence of people from important social occasions can sometimes leave a psychological impact on the person celebrating, especially when there is a prior expectation that loved ones will share in their joy.
Repeated Absence May Reflect a Feeling of Lack of Appreciation
However, absence does not necessarily mean a weak relationship or a lack of affection, circumstances may prevent attendance. The problem begins when repeated absence turns into a feeling of being unappreciated, or into a message the other party may interpret as neglect or coolness in the relationship.
She notes that sharing in joyful occasions serves a function beyond mere social courtesy, it creates what could be described as "social capital" in relationships. When a person stands by others in their joys and occasions, it strengthens trust and affection and establishes more balanced relationships in which the exchange of emotions and support is present at all times, not just when needed.
Ibrahim adds that participating in celebrations also reinforces the concept of social solidarity, which appears not only in crises and hardships but also in people's ability to share happy moments with one another. Rejoicing in another person's success and congratulating them on their achievement, feeling proud of a child's graduation or a family member's marriage, or someone achieving a milestone. All of these practices help strengthen the social fabric and foster feelings of closeness among people.
In Jordanian society specifically, Ibrahim believes social occasions hold special importance due to their connection to a culture of communication, kinship ties, neighborliness, and extended relationships. For this reason, participating in celebrations sometimes carries great symbolic value, and may be understood as an expression of a person's standing within their social circle and how close others feel to them.
At the same time, however, she stresses the importance of not turning social participation into a test of affection or the sole measure of relationship strengthو it is not measured by the number of attendees at an occasion, the value of a gift, or the number of posts and comments on social media. A person can be loving and supportive yet still be unable to attend.
Digital Congratulations Have Become Part of Social Life
Ibrahim believes social media has also changed the form that participation in celebrations takesو digital congratulations have become part of social life, but this, in turn, has created new expectations among some people. A person may start monitoring who viewed the occasion, who commented, who congratulated them, and who did not, which can create social sensitivities and affect relationships when such behaviors are taken personally.
Therefore, she stresses that what matters most is preserving the spirit of participation, not just its outward appearances: rejoicing for others without comparison or envy, congratulating them sincerely, excusing those who could not attend, and understanding that strong relationships are built through an accumulation of gestures and feelings, not through a single occasion.
According to Ibrahim, people sharing in each other's joys is one of the important tools that keeps social relationships warm, and strengthens belonging, closeness, and trust among individuals. A cohesive society is not only one that stands by its members in crises, but also one that knows how to rejoice with them, celebrate their success, and give their achievements social and human value.
According to Al-Rafaea, in moments of joy, a person may not need much, sometimes it is enough to have a family that is sincerely happy for them and tells them, directly or indirectly:
"We are with you, and your joy matters to us." This sincere presence may be among the most beautiful impressions a person can leave in the life of someone they love.
