Seeking joy in little things

   

     As part of normal human nature, we are always attracted towards ‘larger than life things’. Admit it, you all must have expressed the desire to own a big mansion, when you pass one or longed for a luxury car, when its passes your simple and humble vehicle. I am sure you all must have hoped for a big vacation overseas or longed to visit exotic restaurants all over the town. There is nothing wrong in such kind of dreams. After all, dreams and desires fuel our efforts to work hard. It sets a goal in front of our eyes, as we toil to fulfill every single wish in the list.

But, if we always focus on such larger things, will we ever be happy?

What about the innumerable little things that keep happening to us every single day that offer joy in their own way?

If we are always engrossed in chasing bigger things, will we end up missing all the fun?

In an attempt to fulfill a dream in the future, will we waste all the precious time today?

Are we blinded by the shining mirage of tomorrow that we fail to appreciate the shining sun today?

  While there is nothing wrong in waiting for such grand plans and hoping for their fulfillment, we must not miss out on little things that are happening to us right at this moment. You may long to see yourself in a grand mansion with all the luxuries, but you certainly cannot ignore the warmth of your little house. It is convenient to postpone our happiness based on our plans, but it is extremely difficult to appreciate what we have today. In the rat race to make it big, we often forget about the little outcome of surprises. Life continues to throw several drops of achievements and happiness towards us, but if we waiting for a heavy shower of success, we may never be able to soak ourselves in its joy.

  Our nature to achieve and succeed may blind us from the joy in little things. I am not proposing satisfaction in little achievements or compromise of goals and dreams; I am only wondering about the happiness of present. You will shift to a bigger house down the line, but enjoy the walls and roof of your humble shelter for now. You will ride one of the best luxurious cars at a later date, till then don’t forget to appreciate your wheels today. We often fail to recognize the worth of our routine happenings, it is only after moments transform into memories, when we are able to connect with them closely.

      For a moment think about that simple bicycle that your parents bought for you. All that while, you were longing for an upgraded version like your friend, but today one single picture of you and your bicycle will bring back flood of happy memories. Eating meals at home meant boredom and monotonous food, while you longed to go out for exciting cuisine. But today as you look back, those moments with your family at the dining table were nothing less than pure joy.

    It is during such times when you realize that happiness is not packed in big boxes. It is not wrapped in branded clothes, accessories or assets. It is tied to those simple moments that meant nothing at all at one point of time; it is tied to routine meals and non-happening days; it is tied to closed ones and their talks; it is tied to hard earned materials and drops of sweat.

    Look around you with an open mind and you will realize life is hidden in simple things. It is hidden in the eyes of a little baby as he smiles for a happy future. Life is waiting for you to embrace such joy with open arms. You will definitely earn laurels in your career, till then enjoy the boring job with a smile. Appreciate the sunset, sunrise, rains and nature around your own home town, you do not need to travel miles away to sink in the beauty of nature. This attitude can keep one cheerful and happy, without running for the big picture. Do not halt in your journey forever, but make sure to enjoy the path on the way.

  To make the process easier, let us frame down some little things in our routine that give us joy. Do add your own contents in the comments.

1.       The comfortable bed in your room

2.       Fragrance of home-cooked meal

3.       Television set and remote in your living room

4.       Siblings or spouse and their routine habits

5.       Your neighbors and their colorful talks

6.       Your best friend with his/her routine complaints

7.       View of setting/rising sun from your window

8.       Trees around your house/building/street

9.       Your office desk and all its clutter

10.   Your favorite coffee or tea mug

11.   Your smart phone with its interesting apps

12.   Your favorite budget friendly restaurant in the neighborhood

13.   Your refrigerator with stock of essential supplies

14.   Your lucky dress, no matter how old it looks

15.   Lazy weekends spent on your comfortable couch

…..and a long list of other simple little things that make us happy to be alive. While you wait for the grand luxuries of tomorrow, make sure to enjoy the raw materials today. You will realize it, only when these happenings turn into memories. You may long to invite them back into your lives, but the distance may be too long. Till then enjoy the little things, embrace them closely and extract maximum joy, life is too short to wait, hope and wait again!