Our World Can Be Beautiful

Our outer world is a reflection of our inner world. Take care of our inner world and plant the seeds of goodness & love. All other things will fall into place.

Monday 29 October 2007

Happiness is …

Once upon a time, there was a young girl, name Mara who lived in a village. The village was small but the people lived in peace and harmony. There were hardly any arguments in the family and between neighbors. Meals are simple and comprised of rice, green vegetable, potatoes and occasionally fish caught from nearby ponds.

Mara grew up with the rest of the children in the village. They loved to run around bare footed, climb the tallest trees and catch fishes and frogs from nearby ponds. Mara had a happy childhood and she loved the village and the villagers very much.

One day, a city dweller happened to pass-by the village and he asked for some water from Mara. Out of curiosity, Mara asked the city dweller how it was in the city. The city dweller told Mara about the tall buildings and the vibrant activities in the city. Mara got excited and wanted to go and see it for herself.

Mara went to the city with the city dweller. A month later, she came back to the village. Her friends were so happy to see her but Mara was not the same anymore. She started to complain about the dirt in her house and that her house and everything in it was so rundown. She felt that her friends were too childish to think of running around everyday. She was longing to return to the city and sulk every single day. Gone was the cheerful, happy Mara. Finally, after some struggling, she decided to pack up and went to live in the city.

Once in the city, Mara found a job that pays her enough to cover her rental in a small room and her meals. Mara started to know some friends and her life got on well. After a while, Mara started to feel that her dressing was too shabby compared to her friends and that she needed more money to buy newer and nicer clothes. She started to look for a new job with higher pay but more hours at work.

A few months later, she felt that she need a bigger room as her current one was too small and rundown, her friends were laughing at her. Yet a few months later, she felt she needed to go the hair salon more often and to go to a more posh restaurant, to live a more stylish lifestyle like her friends. Mara worked harder to get more money each time she wanted to improve her life.

The never ending pursue of material stuff left Mara physically and mentally tired. She started to miss home and of the happy days she had back in the village. One summer, she packed up and went back to her village.

Back in village, Mara now had more time to herself to really think about life. She wondered what happiness is. The more she contemplated, the more she understands the real happiness of life. As she sat on the green grass overlooking the ponds and the blue sky, she wrote in her diary:

I wake up in the morning and hear the birds singing,

I can feel the breeze on my face and the trees are whispering,

I can feel I’m standing on solid ground, strong and steady,

I can see the smile on the faces of my love ones,

I can hear the laughter of the children, loud and heartily,

No comparison, no materialistic, no gossiping,

To be here and now, to be where I am, to be contented with what I have

This is life…this is happiness!

15 comments:

lilifxt said...

wow very lovely story it is true feeling contented with your simple life is the real happiness we humans never stop wanting more and looking at the peole who are very rich and have everything i keep telling myself those people wants my simple life and i want their complicated life thats so weird
i wish i can live in a village like mara and be surrounded with nature and the best life thats true but still i have to face the fact that i cant go too far from where i am and try to be more happy

thx for great story that made me happy
best wishes

Unknown said...

Very, very lovely story!

Filled with truth and wisdom.

I often wonder how much of our unhappiness comes from thinking we are unhappy. :-)

Thank you so much for sharing this story with us,

Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Beautiful story.

Mara grew up. One day we will, too.

Sophiagurl said...

that was a very touching story...an eye-opener really. Sometimes when we are surrounded with material things we tend to forget that, what brings us most happiness, the utmost pleasure are the simple things in life. thank you for sharing.

got here through my dad's blog (life is too short)... glad I did. hope you don't mind me linking to you. God bless!

Anonymous said...

A very wise story! Interesting how easy it is to get caught up in the chase of happiness, when of course it is always with us.

Anonymous said...

What to do? Life is like that!

Anonymous said...

Great Post! Thanks for inspiring me. I really enjoy the content of your blog.


Love & Gratitude,
Tina
Think Simple. Be Decisive.
~ Productivity, Motivation & Happiness

Life Reflection said...

Hi Lili,

The true happiness is really to be here and now. Glad you like the story :)

Life Reflection said...

Hi Jen,

Indeed, alot of our unhappiness is not caused by external factors but caused by ourselves :)

Life Reflection said...

Hi Rick,

I do hope we will all grew up and wake up as soon as possible!

Life Reflection said...

Hi Sophiagurl,

Of course I won't mind the link. Thanks for visiting and liking my blog.

Life Reflection said...

Hi Mark,

When we are so caught up with things, we tend to neglect and take things for granted easily, thus we can't even see the happiness infront of us.

Life Reflection said...

Hi Jam,

We can't do much but to be here and now, that's where we can get happiness.

Life Reflection said...

Hi Tina,

Welcome to my blog. Wow, glad that the content can inspire you.

RubyShooZ said...

Thank you for the beautiful story. I am Mara but just another version of her in a different way.


I have found that peace, that contentedness and happiness - most of the time when I take the time to stop, look and appreciate it.

Much peace to you today and every day.