Read Time:3 Minute, 43 Second

By William Van Zyl

Published on November 8, 2025.

Artwork: Acrylic and Collage on Paper — A Happy Drawing of a Toddler.

Description: A child’s bright imagination spills across the page — a husband and wife driving a car, a cheerful house in the background, sunshine flooding the sky. Two cats sit beside the car, and behind it — for a touch of fun — a playful dragon follows. The colours dance with innocence, laughter, and light.

IMAGE: My artwork, JOY and HAPPINESS. Arylic and collage on paper. Created: William Van Zyl, on November 8, 2025.

The Beauty of Innocent Joy

There is something profoundly moving about childlike art. It’s pure, unfiltered, and free from the heavy layers that adulthood tends to paint over our hearts. A toddler doesn’t worry about perspective or proportion — they draw how they feel. The sun is big because joy feels big. The house is warm because love feels warm. And perhaps, the dragon isn’t there to frighten anyone — it’s simply there because imagination is welcome in their world.

This simple artwork captures what makes us human — the ability to love, dream, play, imagine, and hope. In the middle of everyday routines — driving, working, cleaning — there’s still wonder, laughter, and colour. That’s what happiness is: not the absence of problems, but the presence of joy in ordinary moments.

Scriptures That Speak of Happiness

Psalm 144:15 (KJV) — “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.”
→ Happiness begins with knowing who holds our lives. The joy of belonging to God gives meaning even to the most minor details — like a child’s drawing of home.
Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) — “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
→ Laughter and lightheartedness are healing. They renew the soul, just as the sun in the drawing brightens the paper.
Philippians 4:4 (KJV) — “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
→ True joy is not conditional; it flows from the heart that trusts God, even when life’s weather changes.
Matthew 18:3 (KJV) — “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
→ Childlike wonder, trust, and imagination are spiritual treasures. They help us see God’s goodness in the simple, ordinary, and joyful.

What Makes Us Human — Reflected Through a Child’s Eyes

Love – The couple in the car shows companionship and connection.
→ Practical example: Take time to appreciate your loved ones — small gestures, shared laughter, and honest conversations.
Home – The little house represents safety, comfort, and belonging.
→ Practical example: Keep your home a place of peace — filled with kindness, forgiveness, and joy.
Playfulness – The dragon reminds us not to take life too seriously.
→ Practical example: Do something fun for no reason. Dance in the kitchen. Sing off-key. Build a fort with your children.
Creativity – The bright colours and sunny skies speak of imagination.
→ Practical example: Paint, write, garden, or cook. Express gratitude through creativity.
Companionship with God’s Creation – The two cats remind us of gentleness and play.
→ Practical example: Take a walk outdoors. Watch the birds. Feel the grass. Let nature remind you that joy is God’s language.

A Prayer for Happiness

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the beauty of simplicity — for laughter, sunshine, and childlike hearts.
Teach us to see joy in everyday moments, to smile even when life feels heavy,
and to trust You with the wonder of a child.
Restore to us the joy of Your salvation and renew a merry spirit within us.
Help us to love deeply, laugh freely, and live gratefully.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection:
The child’s artwork reminds us that happiness doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from perspective. When we look through the eyes of faith and innocence, we begin to see that joy has been with us all along — in our homes, our families, our stories, and even our little dragons.