If you were to go back through your mind, thinking of the happiest moments in your life, then many of them will have been when you were giving pleasure to another person.
Many people give Christmas and birthday presents, not so they will get one in return as this is illogical in that many times you will buy a person something they don't need and likewise you in return will get something you would never have bought. The gift instead is intended to show that you wish them to feel happy and that you care about them. they likewise do the same making you both feel happy at receiving something neither of you really want.
Most of the pleasure in helping someone, is not that of the person receiving help, but the person who is giving it. Many people get enormous pleasure in giving help in one form or another from being the member of a organization like St Johns or the Red Cross and giving help in the form of first aid cover, to those who raise money and put on events as part of the hundreds of thousands of charities. Likewise support groups where people help each other allow people to enjoy giving free service to other members of their community group and receiving other services in return.
After a separation, divorce or bereavement it is the lack of reflected pleasure more than the direct pleasure that you received from them that will make a person unhappy.
The pleasure you get from seeing pleasure on a childs face during a treat or outing, or the knowledge that you have given pleasure to a lover can be far greater than the pleasure either has received. People who give a lot of pleasure to others are usually very happy people.
