In pursuit of happiness

This is a follow-up to yesterday’s post. I realised that I was perhaps too harsh, or maybe too frank in my criticism of “people who chase money”, to put it in my own words. I don’t know how many people took offence to the criticism, but I feel obliged to explain. When I said I did not understand why people would want to work weekends, I certainly did not mean to demean or belittle their effort in any way. I realise that employees of call centres, IT companies, doctors, and many others are obliged to work weekends due to the nature of their job, or personal commitment to it, or other reasons. My point is this: For every 10 hours I put in at work, I need at least one to put my feet up and relax. And, that is just my personal opinion. People are free to disagree. This statement is not meant to be a criticism of the way others function, but merely an observation on the world I see around me.

That said, I still believe that happiness lies in enjoying the little things in life. Let me give you an example. I may be a millionaire, travelling around the world in a private jet. But, what’s the point if I cannot lie on the terrace on a starry night, and try to identify constellations the way I used to when I was 10? Happiness, for me, is simply that. The sound of the flower-seller on the street, the hum of the car engine next door, that begins to resemble a roar every now and then. It is also the pleasure of watching a movie with my someone special. Or even writing on my blog. I love the small things life has to offer. I would hate to give it all up for success. After all, I only have one life…