Making a gourmet dinner with my husband, Tom, then just hanging out with our four children, their spouses, and our delightful grandchildren.

The very short instant right after accomplishing something very challenging.

Wow, these are big questions! Happiness, as I’ve experienced it and observed it in others, seems to be random—some of us are happy fairly regularly (I am, mostly), and some of us not as much—but there seems to be no clear explanation as to why. It comes and goes at unexpected moments, too. The graph of happiness doesn’t even seem to match what is going on in our lives. Or maybe it does and we don’t know it. Money—is there a connection between money and happiness? It takes away a world of worries and anxieties, but are rich folks all happy? Are you kidding? Donald Trump is ALWAYS scowling. That said, it’s hard to be happy if you don’t know where you’ll sleep or where your next meal is coming from. The pursuit of happiness? Where are we supposed to look? Are there clues hidden somewhere? The very act of searching and striving for it can lead to frustration and unhappiness. I suspect that happiness finds you—I’m not sure you can find a road that leads to it. Happiness is everywhere, though some cultures are, I’ve read, happier overall than others—G.N.P. be damned. Is sunshine one of those things? Are tropical folks generally happier?

Warm chocolate cake, a gorgeous fire, and Idris Elba. Also, world peace.

Being on a plane that is about to crash.

From a professional standpoint, it didn’t get any better than achieving our ultimate goal, whether that meant six NBA championships in eight years, or two Olympic gold medals. But I’m more low-key than people realize. Give me an evening with family or friends, and I’m good.