Pursuit of happiness

It was drizzling outside and Shakti had opened the window to feel the cool breeze. She was listening to sitar and feeling so light. Much happier than what she felt while shopping or watching a movie. It is so true that some of the best things in the world come for free.

Today, we are living in a different India from what it used to be a generation before. There are more opportunities and choices available with us. The focus is more on living for today than saving for future. More restaurants, different dining experiences, more movies, there is more of everything. The world is becoming a smaller place and tourism is not restricted to within the country. Technology has made things more accessible and we can watch videos, play games, catch up on news through our mobile. News has also grown from mundane updates to breaking news to infotainment. With more and more use of data on mobile and push notifications, we learn about remote happenings almost instantly. The recent boom in e-commerce has not just created an on-line marketplace but also made things affordable through attractive offers. There is no lack of options if we want to pursue any hobby. To sum it up, if we have deep wallets we can get what we want and when we want them.

Yet we see that there is more and more stress today. Our attention span has decreased, relationships are becoming more virtual and temporary, life is becoming more discrete. Probably desires can only create choice, money can only buy comfort, technology can only increase convenience. However happiness comes by positivity - positivity in intent, thoughts and action. It comes by sharing and caring. It comes by being oneself and it stays with a person who wants to live in present, who is determined to focus on good in all situations and all persons.