Happiness is what makes life look more beautiful. It is a feeling that gives freedom from worries and negative thoughts. There are many situations that make a person happy. One feels happy on seeing a baby smile, when being praised for hard work, getting a promotion or meeting long lost friends. A person becomes happy when a good event related to personal achievement occurs. If a person rejoices in another man’s joy, then that is true happiness. The joy of giving while expecting nothing in return is also true happiness.

Why is happiness vanishing? People have become more selfish in the modern age. Earlier men used to exchange goods and gifts. There existed a sense of goodwill. In the present age, people do not think twice about trampling others in the race for money. Selfishness and greed are the vices that are slowly destroying society. When family members become selfish, it leads to separation. Partners are not willing to sacrifice for the sake of love. The children suffer ultimately. When political leaders become selfish minded, the progress of the country is disabled. The rich become richer and the poor become poorer. Unemployment, recession, selfish interests of certain people, terrorism and anti-social elements help in the spread of unhappiness.

A happy state of mind cannot be attained by reading books about how to be happy and the like. It can only be got by transforming the mind. The mind has to be tuned to it. A person develops certain attitudes and prejudices as he grows. These prejudices decide the state of mind. The growing up environment also plays a large part. Children who are brought up by loving parents are more likely to appreciate the good aspects of life.

There are some people in society who express cynical, selfish, jealous and ego-centric behavior. Such people spread unhappiness through their words and acts. It is better to stay away from such people if possible. Jealousy cannot be cured. Jealousy makes people do things like cheating and harming another individual. Sometimes, these negative qualities become so strong that a person ends up killing innocent people in society.

Human life is a gift. It is a medium through which the beauty of the Earth can be appreciated and enjoyed. If people only realized that they are more fortunate than others, then they will feel blessed and happy. There are so many people with physical and mental disabilities. They do not sit and cry. Instead they face life and perform tasks which other ‘normal people’ accomplish easily. When people look up to other famous and successful people, they feel unhappy. If they look around to see the suffering and the plight of the homeless, they will realize the true meaning of life. It is not an external element which decides a person’s happiness. Happiness can be achieved by training the mind to accept things as they are and appreciate the smaller things in life.

Photo: family album