Katharine R. Oyson has a column (Life's Essence) in the newspaper that I get to read everyday. I always do read her article because I find it relevant and of course she talks about life experiences which everyone can relate to. So guys I'm posting one of her article on my blog because this is one of my favorite that she wrote. I hope this would somehow help you understand the essence of life.
SMILE BEFORE YOU READ.
I could not help but pause for a moment upon reading the Mitch Albom book, Have A Little Faith, which reveals the secret of true happiness. In his interview, with a Reverend, Albom asked him the secret of happiness. With a smile, the Reverend said, "Be satisfied. Be grateful for what you have. For the love you receive. And for what God has given."
True, indeed, the secret of happiness is very simple. But simple as it may, most of us are still seeking the key to happiness. Is it because that we are seeking for more? It is in this light that the Reverend confided that he had counseled a lot of people, people who have big houses, good cars, better job; but still were not happy.
The Reverend also spoke about marriage, marriages which have been disintegrated when they had all the stuff in the world; the families who fought and argued all the time, when they had money and health. And he said, "Having more does not keep you from wanting more. And if you always want more - to be richer, more beautiful, more well known - you are missing the bigger picture, and I can tell you from experience, happiness will never come."
The Reverend also reminded Albom that we should never forget that we bring nothing when we leave this world. He cited the newborn baby. He said, "When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched. He made a fist. Why? Because a baby not knowing any better, wants to grab everything, as if saying, "The whole world is mine." But when an old person dies, how does he do so? With his hands open. Why? Because he has learned the lesson, "We can take nothing with us."
The lessons shared by the Reverend remind me of a story about a young man who had a happy disposition. When he asked by Rabbi Noah Weinberg, the secret of his happy attitude, he told him: "When I was 11 years old, God gave me a gift of happiness. I was riding a bicycle when a strong gust of wind blew me onto the ground into the part of an oncoming truck. The truck run over me and cut off my leg. As I lay there bleeding, I realized that I might have to live the rest of my life without a leg. How depressing! But then I realized that being depressed won't get my leg back. So, I decided right then and there not to waste my life despairing. When my parents arrived at the hospital they were shocked and grieving. I told them, "I've already adapted. Now, you have to get used to this." Ever since then, when my friends get upset over little things, like, if their bus comes late; they get bad grades in a test; or somebody insulted them; me, I just enjoy life."
The story gives us the message that it is a waste of energy to focus on what we don't have or what is missing in our life, commented Weinberg. The key to happiness is to take pleasure in what you have. Happiness is not a happening. It's a state of mind. You can have everything in this world, and still fell miserable. Or you can have relatively little and feel unbounded joy.
