Be happy now

Hindustan Times: Inner Voice

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

If an alien visits our planet and watches football or a cricket match, he will be shocked. One leather ball and so many people after it! The alien would say, “This world has so many things. Just give a ball to each player. Why cause such a commotion?” For an alien, this appears unintelligent and
useless. But fans of football or cricket will say, “Oh we had such a fantastic time!” Because the one purpose of everything that man has created is for happiness. And it is for the same reason that God created this beautiful creation. God is trying his best; he has created so many things for you to be happy. God wants to see you full of enthusiasm, compassion and joy.

But what do we do? We keep a long face, worry about this and that. What are you waiting for to be contented? Everybody keeps postponing his or her happiness. A child thinks she/he will be happy when they go to college, then thinks she/he will be happy when they start earning, then thinks she/he will be happy once married.

And the story goes on and that special day never comes! What’s the fun? Life is not meant for this. It is a mixture of problems and pleasure. In life, there’s 20% sadness and 80% happiness. But our mind converts the 20% into 2000%. If you can win your mind, you can win the whole world.

When the mind is outward and stuck in an event or incident, you have to retrieve it back. You think life is miserable because you are hanging onto desires of the past, not accepting the present, not moving ahead or hoping for something too much. Wisdom is to see the past as destiny, future as free will and be in the present moment. So, resolve to be happy now.There are two ways of looking at life. One: “I’ll be happy after achieving a certain objective.” The second: “I am happy come what may!” Which one do you want to live?