Don’t worry, be happy

THERE was a popular song a while ago that went: Don’t worry, be happy. It became an instant hit, and no wonder.

We all have a laundry list of worries all the time. It is very difficult for us to predict when we are likely to be joyful, but very easy to say when we shall be worried, which is almost all the time.

We worry when we have no money; we also worry when we have money. We worry if we have no children; we also worry when we have children, as our children quite often are the cause of problems, especially when they emulate us.

Worry follows desires just as night follows day. Just as desires have no end, worries too are endless.

Nitti Mudaliar went to a restaurant and ordered one of each item on the menu. With great enjoyment he demolished all that was brought to him. After he finished with his dessert and coffee, he got up to leave. The waiter stopped him with a bill. Said Nitti in exasperation: I never ordered this bill. Why have you brought it to me?

Most of us live our life like Nitti. We have no recollection of asking for the bill as we go about acquisitions and expectations of acquisitions. When the bill does finally arrive we are startled, and depressed as this is not part of our expectation.

Desires are not harmful by themselves. Desires are energy, as long as the desires are your true deep desires. Problem is that most of our desires are borrowed. They arise out of jealousy and greed and nothing to do with what we need.

Ramana Maharishi said about this beautifully: The Universe can cater to the needs of every single inhabitant. However, it can not fulfill the wants of even one single person.

In your own life, just think of all the things you wish for right now. Make a list. Now make a list of the things that you already have. Which list makes you happy, and which list makes you uneasy?

The answer is obvious.

Why don’t we focus on what we have, offer gratitude to the Universe for providing all that we have instead of worrying about what we don’t have? Whether we want to keep begging for more or be thankful for what we have is a choice that we make. It is a choice between happiness and sorrow.