Wednesday, November 28, 2007
What's Happiness?
It is not easy to define happiness. Individual preferences overtake each other’s description of the same.
People often ask: “where do we find happiness?” money, richness, beauty, coloures, scents, nature etc. all give us immense pleasure. God has created this
beautiful world only to enchant the occupants. There is some pleasure, which we can drive without directing our efforts towards it.
The case of nature is the best example. The only thing we need is the inclination.
Like the ways to God, the roads to happiness are also many. To derive pleasure out of one’s life is not something that comes directly from god. It lies within
us. What we need to rekindle this state of mind is willingness to think wisely and positively.
The mind is a hotbed of emotions. To have the right mix of emotions, we need a better actor in us. How to emote to get the right mix of the mindset is what
matters. Simple things can add colour to our disenchanted life if we have the time to pause and think.
Plenty of anything cannot make one happy. But having this plenty disbursed to the have-nots make us feel the joy of others.
There were two neighbours. One was rich and the other the poor. Both were preparing for Diwali. The rich man decorated his house elaborately and illuminated it
with lights. The poor man only lit a diya at the entrance of his house.
They were both intimated by god that he would visit them on New year. The rich man was happy that he had outdone his neighbour. The poor man was happy that his
diya was glowing in the darkness and that its light had a divine touch.
Finally, God came to settle their claims. His attention was first drawn to the single
diya that had lit up an entire dark patch. God was attracted to this and did not even look at the brightly-lit house on the other side.
The verdict was clear. We all yearn for happiness. Having plenty does not necessarily guarantee happiness. So don’t wait for heaven to come to you. Make efforts to steer your mind to a state of happiness by sharing the little you
have. Even a single lamp can cheer up a completely dark area. Light it and you will find happiness shining there in your inner self.
