Is happiness really a matter of choice? Okay let’s look at this. For a moment close your eyes and look at the milestones, instances or situations in your life that have given you happiness. Those situations are now gone but did they take away the happiness they came with?
Marrying the person you loved, getting the job you wanted or winning the prize you worked hard for, gave us a sense of achievement and high, but very soon we are longing for something else. We can always recall the moment of glory in the past and feel the magic within for a few moments. But, do we not then look forward to some other situation, instance or await special moments to shower us with more happiness?
Let me tell you a story-
On one blissful day, God was to visit a school and the kids were advised to ask for whatever they wanted from Him. They were thrilled! The moment God came, their list started.
One asked for a remote control car and one for a bicycle, another asked for an I-pad and yet another for a football. The list continued with each one asking for what they wanted.
As God went away, the teacher asserted the students and said, these are not things we ask from God, we should ask him for things like Love, Happiness, Joy et al.
One student stood up, smiled and said, “Yes Miss” we all ask for things we do not have!
A constant state of Happiness seems unrealistic today because we believe that we can only achieve it if we ask for it, or when someone else will give it to us.
We are happy when things turn out the way we want them to, and what if they don’t -Down goes our joy, excitement and happiness.
So, what events did you really ‘Learn from’ in your life? The ones that happened your way or the ones that didn’t?
If learning majorly comes from events that did not go our way , then the next time things don’t go our way ,let’s all get excited about it , because a lot of learning awaits us.
Happiness is an art that we can learn by practicing! A common response that goes in our head a lot of time is:
Oh but you don’t know what’s going in my life! No one knows what my spouse is like , my kids don’t listen to me, My friends , My in laws, My boss!
It’s like you’re searching for your spectacles all over the place just to realize they were sitting right on your head! This state is within you, don’t look for it outside.
It is a state we achieve when we start accepting that every moment is here with a learning and is making us a better individual, that no matter what event takes place in our life, we take responsibility of taking the best out of it!
It is in getting up in the morning, feeling alive and thankful for another day, it is in appreciating beauty, accepting ourselves, playing with our kids, having the ability to take care of our loved ones, looking at yourself in the mirror and smiling. It is not dependent on anyone but YOU -wear it every moment of the day, because you deserve it!
To me, our life is like drums, if we play it well, it will be music else only noise, for everyone, including ourselves.
Happiness is not the end; it is the vehicle you drive to enjoy the journey of life.
