"It was right then that I started thinking about Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence and the part about our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And I remember thinking how did he know to put the pursuit part in there? That maybe happiness is something that we can only pursue and maybe we can actually never have it. No matter what. How did he know that?"
~ Chris Gardner ( Pursuit of happyness)
Happiness is a very subjective term. Some say its just another human emotion, some say its a state of mind. But the one thing that's for sure is that its a pursuit and not a prerogative that you can be entitled to. There are thousands of self help books and millions of those inspiring quotes that we scroll up on our instagram. But there are billion people in this world with anxiety and depression and zillion problems in every corner of the world. So in this abysmal world does this word really carry a meaning or is a facade and false hope to just keep lives going?
Well it really takes an effort to unravel the meaning and to really tell what significance it holds in our life. Why Bhutan measures its development with Gross national happiness? Why is there an addition of forty five minute happiness period in curriculum of Delhi schools. There is no denying the fact that its important though hard found. Its utopian and idiotic to believe that happiness is the absence of all sorrows. Joy and sorrow are two sides of same coin and its foolish to try upbraiding them.
Maybe its a very simple concept in its core that we have overhyped and intricated over times. Maybe happiness is in the little things around us which we really never cared enough to stop and appreciate. Maybe it was always there like the school bus passing round the corner of your house, daily sometimes delayed by a minute or two. World is your oyster. Its upto you to find the pearls. Its the tapestry you weave out of life which can be beautiful, ordinary or even ugly but yours afterall that no one can take away from you or tarnish.Happiness is the snuggle into your mother's arm around you while you are sleeping. Its the nonchalant caress on your head when your father was proud of you for reason you didn't think was big enough.Its the ten minutes of extra sleep after you snooze off your alarm. Its the pokemon tazo and tattoos that used to go away on next day's bath. Its the extra stuffed mouth refreshner in your pocket from the restaurant.It is getting bigger piece of cake than your brother. Its an icecream stall you see across a road on a hot summer day. Happiness is also a reflection and in lies in seeing someone else happy.Happiness is the upcoming argument after you wronged something with your friend because they care enough for you. Its about shedding tears for and with the people you love. Happiness is in the cry of a newborn from the labour room and also in the cry of a mother for whom justice took seven years to come.
Happiness is also accepting that it does comes naturally and easily to some people and not to others. And you might be in the latter category and that's okay.Happiness is also the faint belief that someday things will be better if not the ideal. That there will be a brief moment of happiness when you will smile and be glad that you sticked around for it. That it is a conscious decision that you have to make and remind yourself from time to time. That its a promise you make to yourself and meet no matter what the circumstances may be . Happiness is knowing that its not easy to be happy and there is no golden rule to achieve it. Ways are different, esoteric, personal but nonetheless possible. I don't want to sound preachy or didactic even though I perhaps am when I ask you all to make an extra effort to be happy. I know we are living in a dismal world and even in the worst phase and its going to be worse from now on. There will be another chaos, further environmental deterioration, another pandemic waiting ahead. But whoever is reading this I still insist you to smile ;smile behind the masks that you are wearing right now ; smile despite the burden of agony and melancholy in your heart because that's the only way.
Stay blessed..stay safe..stay happy....
Wish you International happiness day
~ Chris Gardner ( Pursuit of happyness)
Happiness is a very subjective term. Some say its just another human emotion, some say its a state of mind. But the one thing that's for sure is that its a pursuit and not a prerogative that you can be entitled to. There are thousands of self help books and millions of those inspiring quotes that we scroll up on our instagram. But there are billion people in this world with anxiety and depression and zillion problems in every corner of the world. So in this abysmal world does this word really carry a meaning or is a facade and false hope to just keep lives going?
Well it really takes an effort to unravel the meaning and to really tell what significance it holds in our life. Why Bhutan measures its development with Gross national happiness? Why is there an addition of forty five minute happiness period in curriculum of Delhi schools. There is no denying the fact that its important though hard found. Its utopian and idiotic to believe that happiness is the absence of all sorrows. Joy and sorrow are two sides of same coin and its foolish to try upbraiding them.
Maybe its a very simple concept in its core that we have overhyped and intricated over times. Maybe happiness is in the little things around us which we really never cared enough to stop and appreciate. Maybe it was always there like the school bus passing round the corner of your house, daily sometimes delayed by a minute or two. World is your oyster. Its upto you to find the pearls. Its the tapestry you weave out of life which can be beautiful, ordinary or even ugly but yours afterall that no one can take away from you or tarnish.Happiness is the snuggle into your mother's arm around you while you are sleeping. Its the nonchalant caress on your head when your father was proud of you for reason you didn't think was big enough.Its the ten minutes of extra sleep after you snooze off your alarm. Its the pokemon tazo and tattoos that used to go away on next day's bath. Its the extra stuffed mouth refreshner in your pocket from the restaurant.It is getting bigger piece of cake than your brother. Its an icecream stall you see across a road on a hot summer day. Happiness is also a reflection and in lies in seeing someone else happy.Happiness is the upcoming argument after you wronged something with your friend because they care enough for you. Its about shedding tears for and with the people you love. Happiness is in the cry of a newborn from the labour room and also in the cry of a mother for whom justice took seven years to come.
Happiness is also accepting that it does comes naturally and easily to some people and not to others. And you might be in the latter category and that's okay.Happiness is also the faint belief that someday things will be better if not the ideal. That there will be a brief moment of happiness when you will smile and be glad that you sticked around for it. That it is a conscious decision that you have to make and remind yourself from time to time. That its a promise you make to yourself and meet no matter what the circumstances may be . Happiness is knowing that its not easy to be happy and there is no golden rule to achieve it. Ways are different, esoteric, personal but nonetheless possible. I don't want to sound preachy or didactic even though I perhaps am when I ask you all to make an extra effort to be happy. I know we are living in a dismal world and even in the worst phase and its going to be worse from now on. There will be another chaos, further environmental deterioration, another pandemic waiting ahead. But whoever is reading this I still insist you to smile ;smile behind the masks that you are wearing right now ; smile despite the burden of agony and melancholy in your heart because that's the only way.
Stay blessed..stay safe..stay happy....
Wish you International happiness day
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