From an anonymous source on the internet, I find these lines truly spot on: “Person without money eats vegetables at home; person who has money eats the same vegetables in a fine restaurant. Person without money rides a bicycle to and from home; person who has money rides an ‘exercise bicycle’ at home. Person without money walks to earn food; person who has money walks to burn fat. Person without money acts like a rich man; person who has money acts like a poor man. Person without money wishes to get married; person who has money wishes to get divorced. A hundred dollar amount seems too much to give a beggar; but it seems okay when it’s given as tip at a fancy restaurant. Two poor starving kids sitting on a pavement weren’t given even a slice of bread; but a painting of them is sold for hundred dollars.”
Very true, indeed – particularly so, for the life of me.
Having strayed into many roller-coaster rides of "ups" and "downs", of "having" and "not having", of poverty and relative abundance, I’m impelled to come up with the following realization: Having and not having, lack and abundance are but relatively the same. You can be happily content even in dire state of wanting, just as you can never satiate yourself even amid opulence or abundance. The real bottom-line is your “subjective appreciation” or “finding meaning” in both worlds.
But, yes, in real life, we sometimes wish we were someone else; we wish we were like our "more successful" peers and friends. We focus more on others’ successes such that we fail to notice our own greatness.
We forget to realize that each one of us is special and unique – that each of us divinely endowed with individual gits and purpose. Our being uniquely created shows in our DNA identity, in our palms and finger marks. Pablo Picasso is certainly right when he said: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
Count Your Blessings
Happiness, indeed, as even Albert Einstein noted, is relative.
Brigitte Nicole, in her article “Attitude to Inspiration”, wisely wrote: “One thing; I’ve learned in my life is that ‘the grass is not always greener on the other side’. Many people want to move away and start a new life in search of happiness. But if you leave with a broken heart or with a mind that is burdened you will be taking those problems with you to your new destination.
HAPPINESS IS NOT A NEW CITY, A NEW HOME OR A NEW BACKYARD, with hopes of greener grass. HAPPINESS is something you MUST FIND RIGHT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, IN YOUR HEART.”
Apart from our unique, individual gifts that we avidly seek to discover, our individual life – in itself – is already a gift. So, instead of complaining about what we don’t have, instead of focusing on others’ success with envy, it behooves for us to discover our individual gifts, and to build our own greatness. This we can start doing by counting our blessings.
The following lines I encountered on social media are beautiful and reassuring: “Life is a gift. Before you think of saying an unkind word – think of someone who can’t speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food – think of someone who has nothing to eat. Before you complain about your husband or wife – think of someone who is crying out to God for a companion. Before you complain about your children – think of someone who desires children but they’re barren. Before you argue about your dirty or dilapidated house – think of the people who are living in the streets. Before whining about the distance you drive – think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. And when you are tired and complain about your job – think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job. Life is a gift – live it, enjoy it, celebrate it, and fulfill it!”
In sum, indeed success and happiness are relative – and so too are God’s encompassing goodness in endowing us with individual gifts, uniqueness, and greatness.
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