The Secret of Happiness
The pursuit of happiness is the ultimate goal
Can money buy happiness?
I know 99.9% of folks will answer in the affirmative. But is it really true?
I passed my childhood with limited facilities. It’s not so that our family was very poor but during the 1960s resources, in general, were limited. Foodgrains especially wheat, a staple in North India, was rationed along with sugar. Frequent wars after independence weakened our economy. At that time, our priority was to fulfill the basic needs of life i.e. food, shelter, and clothes. Nobody would have wished beyond that. Most resided in old, ramshackle buildings. My house was very old. It required frequent repairings to withstand the rainy season. In those days, I’d often dream of a house with roofs that didn't leak so we could sleep peacefully. At that time, for us, just attaining the basics of life would have been the source of immense delight. Reading the saga of my childhood, one can argue that money can buy happiness. After all, I could have had more to eat and a leak-proof roof if only there was money!
But again, if the question is whether money can buy happiness, my answer is No!
Wondering why? ….I narrate another anecdote
Back in those days, a wealthy family lived in front of our house. They had all the luxuries that money could buy in 1960’s India. They had cars, telephones, and other luxury items. For us, they were the happiest people. My mother would often borrow sweaters from them for us kids to attend family functions and get-togethers.
A few years later, a piece of sad news came which disturbed our locality. The son in law of the rich family passed away in an accident. His body was found on a railway track. No one could tell how he died — if it was a murder or an accident. Regardless, the happiness and peace of that family were shattered forever. The widowed daughter came back to her parent’s house with two small children. She spent the rest of her life there. Her wails, cries and weeping would keep us awake at night. Her screams of pain and anguish disturbed me so much that I wanted to bring back her world of joy through any means. But, nothing could be done. For no wealth can bring the dead back. That's when I realized, their money was useless and in some sense, they were not only one of the poorest and saddest but also the most helpless in the world.
Money, that bought all the creature comfort, was useless!
Now the question is what is happiness and how to achieve it?
In my view, happiness depends on us. It’s not how much we have but how much we enjoy, that makes us happy. A calm and modest life brings more happiness than a stressful yet wealthy one. Of course, money in some sense is needed to fulfill the basic necessities of life. But beyond that, the joy it brings is barely incremental. And somewhere deep down we know that! Yet, we keep running the rat race meaninglessly!
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony” — Mahatma Gandhi
The pandemic had a great lesson to teach in this sense. Search happiness within rather than searching it on the outside. Small things like the chirping of the birds, the blooming of a flower, and the beauty of the rising sun and cool breeze can all fill you with joy. Avoid those friends and relatives who bring negativity, always smile, and try to remain happy. Better to wipe off the negativity from inside our hearts and minds.
As Christian D. Larson says in her poem, “Promise yourself” —
“To be so strong that nothing
Can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and
Prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel
That there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything
And make your optimism come true.”
