Whether we know it, accept it or like it, we as human
beings are programmed to achieve happiness. All decisions (and here I am not
exaggerating at all; I really mean ALL) that we consciously or subconsciously take are with this
only thought (and may I add hope here); that the decision and subsequent course
of action & its result will lead to higher state of happiness.
Logically speaking,
a reduction of stress, strain, sorrow, discomfort, pain can also be considered as
increase in happiness. The practical equivalent of that is, reducing the debt
is in some sense also an investment (think of that part pre-payment of housing
loan / mortgage).
Once we accept this as the basic premise of human life;
it’s not hard to follow what most of the religions, spiritual gurus, self-help
groups & books are preaching. They all tell you the same. Take an inward
look to know better (or may be for the first time in some cases) and think; what really makes you happy.
Why would that be so difficult? I know what makes me happy. Hanging out
with friends, playing with kids, playing XBOX games and the list is unlimited.
The problem here is of time-boxing. Being happy for the instance and being
happy overall are two altogether different things. Let me get a little more
philosophical here. Though we know life as a continuous stream of events, we live
in moments. Thus life becomes sum total of all these moments of joy &
despair. As they say, “Whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. Therefore
it becomes absolutely imperative that while making current moment happier we
don’t lose our focus on the next moment and moments after that. Today’s
happiness should not affect happiness of tomorrow.
Most of our ancestors have stumbled on this precise problem and addressed it by setting some guidelines. These guidelines help us to lead happy life and happier end. We know these guidelines as religions. More about it in next post.
