Salt, chicken and happiness

                                                                                                            

There are things to learn from everyone. A Sri Lankan cabdriver in London gave me intriguing insights into one of South Asia’s bloodiest conflicts. A Bangladeshi waiter in Vienna narrated sensational stories on how illegal immigrants risk their lives to reach Europe come what may; an Egyptian salesman in Cairo gave authoritative tips on living life on the fast lane.

Some time back, I had a powerful tutorial from Fazal on my way to the Dubai Internet City. Knowing the tough employment terms for the cabbies there, I asked if he was happy with what he earned. He pondered, smiled and replied in clear, confident words.

“Sir, happiness and comfort are relative terms. Seeing those laborers work under the scorching sun, I feel blessed. Everyone has shortages, since our lives get set as per our own levels. If I am short on my wants, you are also short on things you wish to have. Even a prince has the same challenge.”

He continued, “I grew up in a poor village near Faisalabad. Tired of working long hours, we used to fall asleep in the cultivation; we had such a peaceful sleep! Don’t get that in my air conditioned comfort here! I used to eat six dry rotis with just salt. But, I can barely eat three here even with butter chicken! Some of the simplest things in life give greatest happiness. Happiness is a state of mind.”

There I was, driven on the streets of Dubai by a humble Bertrand Russell of our times!

Fleeting images brought memories of my own ‘salt’ and ‘chicken’. Sure thing, my first Hero bicycle had brought me more delight than what my latest fancy car did.  My first refrigerator, a 165 litre Godrej was a treasure! I never missed giving it a regal dress-up every Sunday mornings. Our large refrigerating beauty today does not get such a mind share!

I remembered the second class train journeys in India. We had so much fun that we barely noticed all the filth and discomfort. Do I experience similar thrill and pleasure in the flat-bed luxury aboard today’s huge, sophisticated birds?

How far back in time will you have to travel to recall the most exhilarating experience of your life? Don’t you have to go back to the phase when happiness came easy riding on small things?   

Remember eating tandoori roti and daal tadka with freshly cut onion chunks and green chillies in a good roadside dhaba? Do you get the same pleasure today in the excessively conditioned fine dining restaurants? Think of your most treasured possessions; are they inevitably the costliest or the prettiest? Recall your happiest moments; were they necessarily in flamboyant settings?

Happiness indeed is a state of mind. It is within.

We all start with a flair for deriving happiness out of small nothings. We were children once, after all. But, the art of finding happiness in what we have is a collateral damage as we grow up chasing everything more, bigger and swankier!

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Great thought, but a tough call! How does one not think about driving a Rolls-Royce having seen it majestically pass by? How does one get to drive it, then, to find harmony in action and thought; to get that elusive happiness? Modern world, contemporary challenges, and confused susceptible human beings!

I would rather stay with the great philosopher and poet Omar Khayyam, “Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”