Happiness is such a basic human desire. It also is one of the foremost pursuits of mankind. Whether we are those who consciously pursue happiness or believe it to be like the light that shines through upon us through the clouds when the time for it has come, we all know the good sensation happiness brings us. As the connection between humans and machines has deepened, particularly with computers, it seems to have affected our very view of life. Waking up to mobile phone alarms, wrist watches with messages, and the calculators of the yesteryears, we have come to perceive life as a problem to be solved or a subject to be analyzed. Despite great success, even in finding and identifying problems where older generations might have seen none, we haven’t found any greater happiness. Have we? Perhaps it is time to acknowledge how much simpler and happier life is when we are just busy living it day after day.
I think of a musician who gets up on the stage before a waiting crowd. When he performs, he simply forgets about the people and all the technicalities of music. He sings and plays with his group and soon the people also forget that there is a performance. They become immersed in the music and the environment. That is what they come for. For the musicians and their crew, all the preparations are to be done before the “show”. Why is it important to remember this example?
Today we have entered a strange period of time. We are studying life and living it less. Not everyone is doing it, but those who are doing it are far too many. Yes, there are reasons for this. We have been confronted by changes that we did not think existed, or think, they could ever exist. Not only have these changes come about – economic, social, political, cultural, and personal – but we are constantly reminded through the news of how fast the world keeps changing. Analytically and in a problem-solving 1mode, there seems like there is never a time to rest the mind and simply enjoy life; be happy. We are missing life, the more time we spend studying and examining it, and the less we live it. Life is by itself, while the “thinkers”, “philosophers”, and “teachers” – including myself – have made it a work to delve into its complexities at the level of the underlying ideas themselves. Perhaps, there is a futility to all this thinking. The time that goes away is gone forever. Is it not?
Happiness is in the present
There are many who share their views and thoughts today. There is one that consistently makes sense. Happiness is not to be searched for in the past or expected in the future. In the present – the only time we truly are in – deserves our attention. In this simple fact of life, there is the prospect for happiness. If in this very moment, there is a thing you or I can do for ourselves or for someone else, then we need to simply use our energy and get it done! Maybe it is that phone call that needs to be made, or an email awaiting a response, or going for a walk in the night with the open sky and the stars…do it.
There is another thing. After a person has acquired a lot of knowledge and hopefully has also become wiser, actually living is based on some very simple everyday thoughts. We breathe, we eat food, keep clean and be healthy, and keep our spirits up. At some time in our lives, we start to believe that we need to know and understand everything before we can really live. No. It is not this way. Some of the happiest people have little, don’t know a lot, but they have enough motivation and understanding to simply keep living their lives. In terms of thinking, despite the formidable powers of the human mind, it is simplicity and less-is-better that keeps us light and keeps us bright. So, maybe one day, you will think of just keeping a few basic things in order and enjoy life as it comes. This will enrich your life and yes, also of the ones you are close to. How good it is to be remembered as a person who was happy and made others happy as well!
