Happiness
For Sale
By
Mike Ghouse
02 January,
2008
MikeGhouse.net
A
sale transaction requires consideration for exchange of products and
services. The consideration in buying happiness is your effort. Happiness
is on Sale, it is on sale, because the effort required is minimal against
the gain. Though a lopsided transaction, the supply is plentiful and
does not take away anything from anyone but enrich every one with a
heart felt smile.
Remember
the last time you helped someone? You got some one up when he or she
fell and you were thanked profusely for that act of kindness, do you
recall that joy? You were beaming and your fellow workers and friends
wanted to know what it was; you humbly shared the small experience.
Do you recall
the twinkle in your eyes and wanted to praise those two that made the
national news recently? When a man fell on the tract in New York subway,
the other man jumped to save his life risking his own. Then a Bangladeshi
student stood up against the bullies who beat up the subway passengers
who wished Happy Hanukkah to that bully.
Life becomes
meaningful and powerful when you do things for others; it is the anecdote
against sorrow that surrounds us from time to time. That is the wisdom
in Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islam, Jain, Jewish, Native religions,
Shinto, Sikh, Wicca, Zoroastrian and other faiths – living for
the sake of others, a proven formula for happiness.
Way back
in 1978, my Peugeot 504 failed me on a Saudi Freeway to Dhahran, I stood
there in 116 degrees heat waving at every vehicle that drove on a full
throttle going over 140 MPH. I was dying with thirst and blisters were
all over my lips and my face, I looked like some one from the western
movies. The drivers, who wanted to stop, could not do so within a walking
range. After nearly five hours of eternity, a man finally stopped and
drove his Toyota truck the full half mile in reverse. His Burqa Clad
wife was with him on the passenger’s side and in the back were
a couple of goats and sheep. I was imagining sitting with the goats
and started feeling faintly, but he pulled his wife closer to him and
asked me to hop in that little Toyota. I was too tired to worry where
I was going. He gave me the life giving water and drove.
We barely
communicated with my minimal Arabic and his English, we went to his
home some where in the outer rim of the town of Abqaiq. His family brought
in the tea and other refreshments followed by a huge dinner with several
of his friends. He had one of his friends haul off my car and was getting
it fixed; the fuel injection vehicles don’t work very well in
that kind of heat. I had purchased that Car from Nick Gruev, an Albanian
American friend out of Houston.
The Sheikh’s
friends came were fixing the Hubbly Bubbly (Huqqa) and passing it between
their friends, I was dreading to put that thing in my mouth should it
come to me, sure enough it did and reluctantly I pretended puffing it.
Around 8 PM, his mechanic friend drove up with my car.
As I was
ready to leave, I thanked Shaikh Ahmed Al-Sabah profusely and pulled
my wallet to pay, he pushed my hand and said “Aqhi, you are my
guest and don’t even think of it.” I pleaded, it was the
greatest favor a stranger has done to me and I asked, how I can pay.
He looked
at me intently and asked, would you promise me something? In gratitude
I said yes, but shuddered what now? He took time and looked at me again
and said these life changing words to me “Next time, if you see
some one needing help, would you stop and help?” I eagerly said
Yes, satisfied; he asked again, are you sure? I gave an emphatic yes,
to which he said, “Alhamdu Lillah (praise the lord) that is my
reward.
I buy happiness
at every nook and corner; it is very satisfying to see other people
in their full human form when they give their beautiful smile. A genuine
smile is the most beautiful thing on the earth, nothing compares to
it.
Every day,
you have those opportunities. Make an effort in doing things for others
and see how easy it is to be happy.
Here are
a few thoughts for you to ponder:
Push yourselves
to be prejudice free against people from every meeting, incident, TV
shows, and work or news items that you come across.
Find excuses
to greet other people and wish them well, don’t worry what they
think of you, just do it and see the response and counter response.
Work on bringing
humility and fight off every thought and action that gives you the idea
that your race, faith, nation, culture, language or life style is superior
to others.
Commit to yourselves that your words and actions do not flare up conflicts,
but mitigate them.
Commit yourselves that you are going to do your share of living for
others, for starters one hour a week will enrich you with joy.
It does not
take any money; it is your goodwill that brings you the joy. It is yours
to keep and is on sale.
Best wishes
for 2008
[email protected]
© MIKE
GHOUSE 2007- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer and a Moderator.
He is president of the Foundation
for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio and
local television network discussing Pluralism, politics, Islam, Religion
and civic issues. He is the founding president of World
Muslim Congress with a simple theme: Good for Muslims and
good for the world. His comments, news analysis, opinions and columns
can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website
www.MikeGhouse.net.
Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home
town. He can be reached at [email protected] or
(214) 325-1916
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