What's the goal of life?
Career, money, luxury?
Fame, Recognition, Power?
Love, Relationship, successful marriage?
Self-satisfaction, Contentment?
All these are things or a state of being.... But finally, we live
by the emotions we feel or the emotions we display...
So, what is the goal of life in terms of emotion?
Single-mindedly, it is Happiness, hands-down....
If happiness is the ultimate goal of life, and happiness is just
our perception of things, then most of the people (most, because, not all have
yet learnt the art of perception) should be happy…
It is obvious that it is not so. I feel there is something
basically wrong…
At this point, one of friends gave me an enlightening and valid
point…
“Whose happiness is what matters… And that is where most people
make a mistake”
Brilliant, yes… We can’t live our life by other’s definition… Then
at every point, there’ll be a clash on whose happiness we’re trying to achieve…
But then to what extent can we pursue our own happiness? Specially
if it is in conflict with the definition of people whom we care for?
Let me give an example:
It is a festival. Mom says we need to go to the temple. But there’s
a special programme on TV you want to watch. What will you do? You might think
it is a small thing and simply leave with your mom… or she might think it is a
small issue and let you stay… But what will you do if this happens over a long
period of time, say everyday… or if the magnitude of choices is several orders
greater.. like your career or your life itself….?!
The point I’m trying to make is, how much do we let other’s
influence our definition of happiness? Or do we even let them influence it at
all? If we do that, is it selfish? If it is so, is it fine to be selfish?
Here, I feel, such behaviour is not selfishness, but rather an
attempt at freeing ourselves from the hassles of expectations. It feels a lot
better to be alone.
But the next question is, what if there are people you owe things
to? Like your mom, dad, friends? To what extent do you try and make them happy?
Basically, do you owe them anything at all? These are difficult questions.
Yes, your parents did do a lot for you… But did they do it for
you, or because it gave them contentment and satisfaction (ultimately,
happiness?) in doing those things for you? So, then do you still OWE them
things? Or is it an illusion?
Or is the world itself an illusion, or MAYA…? And we are folks
caught in the web, spun by our own ignorance, strengthened by our lack of
perception?
Maybe, a few rays of light are filtering down to me… I wish they
would enlighten enough to know that there’s a lot more outside the web I’ve
spun around me…
Hmm, something happened to you. That's for sure. BTW, shouldn't the line have read "let others influence our definition of happiness?" instead of "let other’s influence our definition of happiness?"? And do you really think our ultimate goal in life is to be happy?
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Grammatical mistake! Yes, ultimate goal is to be happy- in the sense of peace and contentment... :)
ReplyDeleteIf, it's peace and contentment you are talking about, then yes, I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteParents do something for us because they consider us as their responsibility. Everyone says that they don't expect back and that's true to some extent but not after you become 20+. At first I too believed that happiness is found when you offer but now I make myself happy and will offer if I'm left with some. And as you said, "It feels a lot better to be alone rather than having expectations".
ReplyDelete