Happiness

Happiness is an eternal quest. Happiness is a mirage. Happiness is like passing clouds. There are two kinds of happiness: Happiness that we derive by doing the things that we like and happiness that we derive by doing the right things irrespective of whether we like it or not. Happiness is not a one-size fits all suit. The activities that lead to happiness in one stage of our life will not lead to happiness in a different stage in life; it might look outright absurdity too. Happiness can’t be expressed well with words but we can recognize moments when we were/are happy (if we are not evaluative or critical).

While I am sleeping do I actually know that I am sleeping? The moment that I try to gauge my level of happiness or if I am happy at all, I am no happier. Happiness can be achieved by being in the moment. Happiness is the fuel that drives life forward. Without happiness, that sense of well-being, what is the point of the pursuit called life? It is better to identify the unique set of activities and things from which we derive happiness than being driven in pursuit of the social stereotypes of happiness. Enough of the philosophical rhetoric on happiness.

Now to the practical aspect of how I experience happiness in my daily life. To me happiness is series of little moments scattered across my entire lifetime. My pursuit of happiness is as unique as me. Below are the list of things/ activities that give/have given me happiness at different times:

Unexpected rain on a summer day
A sip of water post a bite of chilly
Patience to laugh at my own follies
The wag of tail by man’s best friend
Strange sounds of feathery vagabonds
Extended slumber sessions on a holiday
The roses that blossom in my rose plant
A timeless statue smiling at me in vanity
Reading a favorite book at a leisurely pace
Kind words by my wife in times of distress
Playing a prank on my sisters and friends
Unspent money in the wallet at month-end
Eternal race of endless waves on the seashore
The moment a favorite dish melts in my mouth
Pretending to lose to my child in a boxing match
A cocktail of music that takes me on a time travel
An endless road inviting to an unexplored journey
Walk on the seashore while enjoying dawn or dusk
Droplets of water hanging on to a leaf like dear life
A game of cricket with old buddies on a lazy Sunday
The radiant smile of my child after a hard day’s work
The aroma of freshly baked bread as I walk past a bakery
A cold water bath of hot day and hot water bath on a cold day
A favorite movie whose dialogues that I can remember by heart
Stumbling upon an old friend in a crowded market in a new city
The new language scripted by my daughter when she started talking
As a young boy, holding my parents hands when we went out for a walk
The tiny dot of light turning the endless canvas called sky into infinite shades
A fraction of heat from the tea mug that seeps into my palm on a cold morning