Is anybody truly happy?

I was watching from my room when the little girl was sweeping the street. Her father, also a sweeper, is a drunkard. Almost always he smells of alcohol whenever he asks for money. His wife sometimes asks in his stead. The whole family sweeps the streets and lives on meagre payments.

It was really an awful sight to watch them, especially the girl who seemed to be around ten or twelve. Of course this is not an uncommon sight. However, there was something about that little girl which was captivating and I kept staring at her for a long time.

The one thing which was remarkable and eternal about her, such that I will never forget it, was the beautiful smile that she was carrying while she was struggling with the broom. It was a smile – the way we smile at ourselves when we are alone in the bathrooms, suddenly amusing ourselves about something – that smile which made me stare at her, wondering. I fell in love with her just for that smile, to be honest. That cuteness still sticks in my mind.

I loved her smile. It was a simple but excruciatingly genuine smile. Is she really happy? Is anybody truly happy? I think she was. How can she be so happy when she’s so poor? But then rich people are not necessarily happy. I have seen many people who are ‘rich as a Lannister’ but are still unhappy with their lives. Happiness, then, is a state of mind.

So what made that girl so happy? She was probably unaware of the hardships her parents may have to face every day. Or maybe she just doesn’t think much about her future. Perhaps she thinks about the future – but does not believe that it has anything to do with happiness.

And that made me respect her so much. I guess happiness comes naturally to a person who is carefree, does not think much about the problems and does not relate happiness to anything materialistic in life. And children qualify best in this test. When we grow up, we are exceedingly conscious of so many expectations that the society has of us. Children are so carefree.

Recall any party that you attended. You noticed that little kid playing around roaming here and there chasing a ball. What were you doing in that party? Looking down at your dress, conscious and concerned about your appearance and impression. Who was enjoying more at the party: you or the kid?

This is something we must learn from children. Being innocent of expectations and judgments of random irrelevant people is the best formula for happiness. If that little girl sweeping the roads can do that, why can’t we, who by God’s grace, are much more established and financially capable?

I realised today that happiness is not the product of our past or an asset of our present; happiness is the ingredient of our future…