BE HAPPY WHERE YOU ARE

Most of us live for the future, which we do not know and in this process, ignore the present. There is always a condition before we say we are happy. These conditions or obstacles keep coming our way, and we keep postponing our happiness indefinitely. I want to be satisfied, not now but in the future. We keep saying live for the present and be happy, but none of us can follow the mandate. Our worries to pay bills, pay debts, possess a house, a car, insurance, good education for children, and the list goes on endlessly, and more lengthy the list far away is happiness. We convince ourselves that life will be better after all life's "to-do list" is completed. The truth is, there is no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, then when?

I was once in one of the training programs, and I remember a portion of the lecture by one of the speakers. I am trying to recollect what he said because that is relevant to my theme:

 "Once a son went to his father and asked where the happiness is, the father replied, "You go to school, you will have friends, and then you will be happy. Son goes to school, comes back, and after some time asks, "where is the happiness." Father replies, "you go to college, have bigger groups, lots of fun, and be happy." The son returns from his college and asks where the happiness is. Father replies that you pick up a job, earn money, and then be happy. Son returns from the job and asks again where the happiness was. Father replies, "you get married, have a beautiful wife to spend time with, and be happy." After marriage, the son again asks where the happiness is; Father replies, "now you will have a child. You will be happy to see him growing." The son returns with the child in his arms and asks his father where the happiness was. In a very relaxed mood, Father replies, "now you cannot come back to me. Now it is your child's turn to ask you where the happiness is like you have been asking me right from your childhood."

Our entire life is figuring out where happiness is, but joy is there at every step. We did not recognize it. We keep pushing happiness to the next milestone and saying someday I will be happy.

Life keeps on moving forward. So it is essential to be happy now, in the present moment.

We keep on waiting for the next moment that will make our life happy, the moment that is not known to anybody. We are busy finishing some unfinished work first, paying some bills first, doing some work first, serving our elder parents first, looking after our child first, and at the back of our minds think that life will begin after this. However, the reality is that whatever we are doing is part of our life. The challenges, the obstacles, deterrents, and situations are a part of life, and these will go on with us like a shadow. So it is not wise to think, let me overcome them first and then be happy.

There is no way to happiness, and HAPPINESS IS THE WAY.