There is so much to be learnt just by going through your
ordinary everyday existence. And make no mistake, everyone’s existence, no
matter how vaunted, how apparently glamorous, how immune from touchy sticky
unsolvable messes they appear to be, is ultimately mundane. There is nothing
wrong with ordinary everyday moments. They are what make up life. Your moments
of success or pure unadulterated joy are bound to be rare in comparison with
the number of ordinary, building-block moments that you will experience in the
course of a lifetime. Which is why you need to cherish these ordinary moments.
How you live them will be testimony of your true character, the stuff that you
are made of.
Why am I prattling on about all of this? Oh just like that. It’s
a rainy night. The scent of freshly baked banana cake wafts through the house.
I sit typing away feeling a swell of gratitude for the simple things that make
me happy. The expression of utter delight on the kids' faces as they enjoy the
cake, playing a sweaty game of badminton with S and feeling alive with energy,
sitting quietly by myself watching the rain – all of these little pleasures
made my day utterly beautiful.
I feel renewed after a long time. For a while there were
moments that kept me sliding down into a well of nothingness where I have had to
fight to simply go on. There are days when every single thing you touch seems
to go wrong. There are months when no smidgeon of good news reaches your
thirsting ears. There are years when you live with vacillating hope of your
biggest worry conquering you. This time the new low taught me something I hope
I will never forget. There is real steel somewhere inside me and possibly
everyone in the world. Maybe you go for a long time without knowing that your
breaking point is actually the moment you discover your biggest strength. But
once you feel that strength flowing through your veins, you know that no matter
what, things will get better someday. Then you let the worries go and take one
day at a time. Again.
The simplest way to feel this joy is by observing the
moments that make you smile unaffectedly. The belly laugh that makes Appu’s happiness so infectious gets me smiling
too. Mahi’s creative hyperbole and S’s seemingly careless signs of affection
popping up when I least expect it, all set me smiling when I need it most. So
anyone can choose to be happier than they expect they can be when problems
weigh them down with unceasing constancy. But it is a habit that has to be
cultivated. Its easy to say that man’s natural state of mind is to pursue
happiness. How many of us actually believe that? How many of us delve deeper to
find out what the happiness entails? How many of us tie happiness to a thing or
a person or a lifestyle? Sometimes we are lucky to have what we think we need
to be happy but most often we need to seek joy in the little things that fill
our ordinary existences.
The fireworks of spectacular joy are sublime to watch. Their
lights remain imprinted in our minds and hearts long after the moments pass. Sometimes
it is the memory of the fireworks that keeps us going when the nights seem long
and unending. But the light of a little lamp too can keep the darkness away as
long as we remember to keep it going every single day. Gratitude helps to keep
that light alive. The ordinary joys are enough to make one feel blessed despite
setbacks. So be happy in little ways everyday. It gives you the strength to
deal with whatever is in store for you. And helps you rise again and again...
