SHORTCUT TO HAPPINESSS

Image credit: www.olderhood.com

          “Young man!”  Opportunity shouted from where he stood. He had been watching the young man  since he started his journey to the Land of Happiness.

 “Good day,” the young man said cheerfully, after he had walked up to Opportunity.

“Where are you going to?” Opportunity asked even though, he knew where the young man was heading to.

“I am going to the Land of Happiness to seek my own happiness,” he replied buoyantly.

“Why are you moving towards the East to the Land of Happiness?” Opportunity asked.

“Because everyone is moving towards that direction,” he replied. "You see?" He said, pointing at a man walking towards the direction.

“You are making a mistake young boy. The journey to finding your true happiness is independent of others.”

“But everyone moves towards that direction to find happiness,” the young man said quickly.

“They always return disappointed,” Opportunity said.

“So how do I know which way to go?” the young man asked in anticipation.

“You have to go back home to discover yourself before you embark on the journey to find happiness. After you have been able to identify your true identity, then you will be able to know which way to go to find your happiness,” Opportunity advised. “It is important for you to know what gives you happiness before you embark on the journey to find true happiness,” Opportunity added.

“But that takes a lot of time,” the young man said quickly.

“No, it is a shortcut to finding happiness. Moreover, you save yourself from disappointment if you take time to discover what gives you happiness. You have to discover yourself before you look for happiness. If you don't, you wouldn't find happiness.”

“Thank you.” The young man said, looking convinced.  As he was about to turn towards his home, he looked back to see who it could be that was shouting his name.

“This is the way to happiness,” the young man’s friend shouted from where he stood. “Don't mind that old and jobless man.  He tells everyone what he told you, but no one follows his advice,” he added seeing that his friend looked mystified.

The young man was confused at this point. He took a while to think about it and then chose to follow his friend. Opportunity shook his head in pity as he watched them both make an expensive mistake.  He was sad for the new human race as they laboured day and night, intending to find happiness but they ended up depressed because they didn't know the way. 

Everyone wants to move in the same path to find happiness, but most drift away. Many  do not believe that there is no Land of Happiness. It is just a deceit to distract humans from learning how to discover and create their own happiness. They have failed to realise that the only short cut to finding true happiness is self discovery. Those who find true happiness are those who understand themselves. They are those who have realised that they don’t have to move in the direction others are moving in-order to pursue happiness. Those kind of humans create and discover their own happiness.