Happiness: In so many little small ways

Shweta Bajaj What is happiness? This is a question which has cropped up in my mind a number of times, more so lately. I wonder if Brad Pitt is happy now that he has the hot Angelina Jolie and a handful of kids (its rumoured that he broke up with Jennifer Aniston because he wanted kids!) and Aishwarya, now that she is a Bachchan. I doubt, but happiness according to me is not in these. At times when feeling low, a quick shopping spree gives me a high and a rush of happiness...but that is only short-lived. Little later, when I realize how much money I have spent, the happiness rushes out just as fast as it had rushed in. Another thing that gives all of us instant pleasure is a nice gooey chocolate cake, but as soon as we realize how many calories we have consumed and how many extra hours we need to slog out at the gym, I am overcome with guilt and happiness is so so... far away. But very recently I did experience happiness. It was in my balcony, reading the newspaper at 9am with a cup of hot tea in my hand. And it was one of those awesome days in hot and sultry Delhi, when it was raining heavily. After a while I thought to myself that to look for happiness in pleasures and luxury is just not the right way. Happiness bumps into you in most unexpected ways. Ways you could never imagine. We all try to seek happiness through that one person we think is our soul mate. Soul mate he or she might be, but that does not mean that total bliss might lie with him/her. Just like reading a book, sitting in my balcony while it is raining might just make me experience that bliss I am so looking for. In today’s day and age, the youth earn well enough to lead a good life. But ironically, they yearn for a few minutes in which their mind can be clear of clutter. We work to be successful, at least most of us if not all. We assume that we will be happy when successful, but actually its the other way round. We will be successful, if we are happy. A long holiday or a new diamond might just give us instant high....like many other things which money can buy, but happiness doesn’t lie in them. It lies in the smallest of things and moments that we end up overlooking most of the time. So, look around you, you just might bump into Mr. Happiness round the corner.