Namaste,
This is my 1st ever blog so please excuse me if there are any mistakes. I had the thought of writing since very long time but somehow couldn’t due to unavoidable circumstances.
Many of my friends have told me that by talking to me they feel good and I calm down their thoughts. Initially I thought that why are they giving me the title of a prophet or a guru or etc etc. I was just doing my job of being a good friend to them by calming their nerves and making me happy.
That’s how I got the idea of what is it that makes a person happy. Or rather what are the things that make a person happy.
Its worth a thought surely. In fact even you would, in some point or points in your life wondered, what is it that I want to be happy. Haven’t you thought of it? Just give it a thought on it. Is it–
- Money that you need to be happy?
- Job that keeps you going on?
- Family with whose support you move in life?
- Friends with whom you feel relaxed and can look up-to for any difficulties?
- Spirituality or Religion for which you believe in God and visit the different monuments of Faith
- All of the above
- None of the above
Well, to answer it is not easy. In fact seeing the options you might be either confused or further thinking is it what I really want? Some might even be remembered of the good old Objective days exams (CAT, JEE, AIEEE, CET, Etc) that you would have given at some point in life.
My answer to that question is that if you are able to find out what exactly is your desire then perhaps you can work towards achieving the same and hence that work will bring you the desired money and help you reach your goal.
So does that mean that I have asked a wrong question? I feel that the question would have been what is it that you exactly want in your life?
Let me consider as an example: 2 different people from our very own country –
A person who stays in a slum or even for that matter on the footpath or railway station (not a beggar)
Another is a person who stays in a swanky apartment in the posh area of the city and price of the house is Rs. 2 crores
Just imagine what is it that keeps both these persons happy, or what is it that these persons want?
For one it’s the daily wages that he earns which gives food to his children and for another it’s the comfort of AC and moving a Toyota Fortuner that gives pleasure. How momentary it is? But are they happy? You would be wrong if you conclude that the person who is moving in car and enjoying the riches is truly happy and the one staying in slum is not.
The answer lies in what do they want.
For the person who is living in slum: wants are limited and confined within the walls of his income. He aspires to stay in a plush flat or a swanky penthouse as well (for that matter, who doesn’t), but his current wants are limited. For him the happiness lies in the fact that his children go to a school even if it’s a municipality school and he is making efforts in making their lives better than his. I have met so many auto drivers in Mumbai who were taking me from some place to another who are staying in slums but are happy that they are able to send the kids to the school atleast and put a foundation of a better future.
For the person living in that posh area he has achieved everything that he had desired. Perhaps he desires now that he can spend time with his family. His kids have a bright future and get the best of education to keep on earning more than what he has earned and even for that matter of fact might be he just wants some solace away from his blackberry and Laptop. Go for a holiday with his family would be what he would be looking towards.
Hence, despite having all the comforts and not having the necessary comforts, both of them aspire for small things that would keep them happy. Fulfilling aspirations is different from fulfilling wants. So if you are able to keep your wants limited and confined then perhaps you would be close to happiness as never before.
It’s a complicated tradeoff that every person faces. On earning money, a person is either away from his or her friends or family and on just being with family they miss out on the part of earning money. All of the components are necessary to be happy about as mentioned, but the scale of each of them varies from person to person. All of us need to do some soul searching to answer the question what is it that we actually want!!!! The answer to my first blog unfortunately lies in another question: What is that you want from your life and in your life?
Perhaps I will think on it and answer it next time. Till then, happy introspection!!!!!
Comments are invited and would be appreciated to encourage me further to write for you.
