DIFFERENT SHADES OF HAPPINESS

In October 2017 I visited Dilli Haat with my mother to enjoy the organic food festival. We walked through various stalls and bought some organic stuff. It was at one of the stall, while buying lemongrass, when she already handed over the money to the vendor, she changed mind and decided not to buy the same. Without realizing that she hasn’t taken the money back, she politely refused the vendor and started walking with small steps. She must have walked few steps ahead when a quaint voice stopped her “Mam you forgot your money”.

Customary, my mother collected the money, appreciated him for his integrity and honesty. The vendor, a young boy hailing from Uttarakhand, became the hero for us. The mere thought that honesty still prevails and people do have strong value system made both of us happy.

While travelling in metro last week, a small kid boarded metro with his mother and started roaming. People were enamoured by his innocence, his gullible acts. He would walk few tiny steps, look around so that he is being noticed and would giggle if someone is looking at him. Travelers also reciprocated by smiling back at him. The dull, soundless coach suddenly turned active as the kid’s activities were engaging enough to make co passengers grin. Few laughed; few chuckled while few offered blessings to the little bundle of joy for breaking the monotony.

We often forget small gestures or acts that make us happy; the acts that make us smile. We do come across or experience many acts or deeds that make us smile or happy. I call them different shades of happiness, different nuances of happiness.

This reminds me of small anecdote. Last year I visited old age home with my mother. I still remember an encounter with an old lady who was in her late seventies. The room, well maintained, had stuff enough to meet bare necessities of life. She was busy in daily chores when the sound of rusty door disturbed her attention. Irritated by someone’s entry she turned back and looked towards the door with an eye of suspicion. The care taker introduced her to me and mom. She welcomed us by smiling. Her wrinkled and sagging face was denoting the experiences she must have encountered. She was little hesitant to talk at first. Soon she started sharing her memories about childhood, marriage. She made one statement that just zapped me,”Its been two years and nobody has come to meet me”. The air was filled by palpable silence. Within fraction of seconds, once she said this, she embraced me tightly. My eyes got filled with shy tears trembling around lashes.No one could have explained better how terrible it is to live alone, to keep waiting for someone to come and meet than her. After few minutes, we decided to depart. She bade adieu to us, offering blessings. As I was about to step out of threshold, I turned to see her reaction. She grinned and waved her hand. I could see a spark of happiness in her eyes filled with melancholy. Reciprocating her gesture, we came back.

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude

However, I kept mulling the entire day over a basic question-What is happiness???

In life we often concentrate on attaining happiness through big success that we forget to enjoy the joy brought by little achievements in life. The smile on old lady’s face after meeting us who was living alone was nothing but simple act that turned her ecstatic.

How would a starving child react on being offered a platter of food. How about feeding birds in the morning?? Have you ever helped an old man cross the pavement who is in mid-eighties and can barely walk without stick? These are simple acts of kindness that spread joy to the world. To me happiness is not only doing good deeds to make someone smile but deeds that make you smile as well.

                                        WHAT IS HAPPINESS TO YOU??