Happiness is within us

Find happiness in what you are


A man who had been happily married and with a wife and son got fed up with life and wanted to join Buddha in search of peace and happiness.

Buddha advised the man “you have a have a family to take care. It is not right for you to leave them and become a sage.”

But the man insisted and finally Buddha gave in saying “You can come and join me tomorrow, but you must leave your family and all your belongings. The man happily went home and left everything behind and went and joined Buddha in meditation and prayer.

A few days later the man was seen with his dog. When Buddha enquired he replied that his dog was very close to him and it could not stay away from him so he allowed it to accompany him. Buddha smiled and did not say anything.

A couple of days passed, and then Buddha saw the man’s son with him and this time the man explained that the boy missed the dog so much that he could not be without it. Again Buddha smiled but kept quiet.

A week later Buddha noted the man’s wife was also there with the son and the dog. On questioning man explained that the wife missed the son so much that she just can’t bear to be without him.

Buddha called the man and told him “You must go back to the people who love you and depend on you. Lasting peace and happiness can only be found in fulfilling your responsibility to them. Everyone is given a role in this world and we must find satisfaction in being ourselves.”

Very often we are fed up being ourselves. We say things like “How nice to be in the place of people like Bill Gates or David Beckham or Miss World” or “If I was George Bush I would do this and that”.

We always feel that we can find more happiness in being someone else except ourselves. We often grumble that God has been unfair in creating others better than us. Is it so?

Yes, God has created every one of us differently in terms of intelligence, capabilities, talents, wealth and physical appearance. At the same time he has given us all the qualities to make ourselves happy as we are. It is up to us to tap the talents and gifts bestowed on us for a happy and peaceful life.

Dr.Chris Anthony