Pursuit of Happiness

Photograph by Priyank Mangalam

Doing what makes you happy is the best thing to do and making your passion your profession should be everyone's goal. But not everyone gets to be that lucky. In fact, more percentage of people land up with a job that they never thought of being in. So what then? Does that mean their life got wasted? Do they gonna be miserable for the rest of their life?

There are many things in life which are used to measure one’s success. Money, Fame, Living Standard, Reputation, these are few of them but more often we fail to realise the most important of them all and perhaps the only factor “Happiness”.

I used to think that happiness is something which happens to you. Like it’s a result you get by various things in your life and if the things are not right, there is no way to be happy. Later I learned that happiness is something we can cultivate, it can be embedded in your way of life, in your nature. This is where the real art of living comes in, “The pursuit of happiness”.

I was travelling through Shimla back in Dec 2013. While on my way to Kufri we stopped at a gas station to refuel. I stepped out to observe the surreal landscape, the clear blue sky in the background, black clouds gushing in, giving a chill to the atmosphere, it seems it would snow any moment. After soaking the extraordinary beauty, I turned myself towards the street and saw this person, carrying a bunch of sacks tied together on his back. Though the sacks were not so heavily stuffed the overall weight seems to be enough to make him struggle. I watched him struggle for some time and started noticing his appearance. He was wearing a shirt, a sweater and a Kashmiri style worn-out robe to keep him warm. It seems that he was wearing all that he had. Thinking how much pain and misery some people have to have just to fulfil their basic need, I saw his face. Just a moment ago I was able to realise and feel his pain and now, seconds later I was wondering if there is any pain.

He had a smile on his face, not the one that you have momentarily as a reaction but the one you have constantly when you feel happy. The one that comes to you automatically from within and you didn't even know that it's there. A smile signifying satisfaction, a reflection of his fulfilment and in that very moment, I felt guilty & happy, disturbed & amazed all at once. Guilty for having sympathy for a person who doesn't need any. I think it's insulting to such person. Happy to know that he is happy, Disturbed of thinking how and Amazed by what he had accomplished.