Hi Mal,
First, for me, being on the "other side of depression" feels ... searching..a little scary. My friend told me she feels this way too.

I feel like I am constantly looking over my shoulder, worrying that my depression will come back. I think once you've truly experienced the worst effects of depression, it is normal to worry that it will come back at any moment. So, I'm always on guard.

Re: happiness. For me, happiness is not a constant state. I'm so relieved and happy that i'm no longer depressed. I'm happy that I have a job and am making huge strides in my life.

But also, I'm happy to smile, and to laugh and to pick up a sea shell.
I'm happy to watch a silly show or read a good book.

I also can get angry and sad. But I'm still happy to not be depressed.

So, I feel all of it. Happiness, anger, sadness, and joy and confusion and peacefulness.

I think I'm happiest when I feel peacefulness.

Peace

if you never are sad then happiness is nothing. if you are sad for most of your life then the happy moments are everything. the more you fight for those moments the more you will cherish them when they come to you , and they will :)

keep fighting Mal

For me happiness is a fleeting moment. I have felt it and I suspect you have too. Hasn't there been a time when you found something really funny and laughed out loud? For me those moments represent happiness. Or maybe achieved something you worked really hard for and felt the satisfaction of a job well done? Those are moments I regard as happy. So maybe as you look back in your life you can remember moments of happiness. Sometimes having done something kind for someone, especially a child and seeing their face light up. That's a happy moment for me too.

For me they are just moments and I have come to accept it may not be a "state of being" that I get to experience continually. I hope this helps you remember what happiness has felt like for you.