A motivational story on happiness - quite often we do not realize that we are unhappy because we chose to be unhappy.
It is a story of a Sufi mystic, who was never seen unhappy his whole life — he was always playful and laughing. He gave this message to everybody who came to him — not through words, but by example. His happiness and laughter was infectious. In his last days, when he was about to die, he was laughing the same way he laughed always.
It is a story of a Sufi mystic, who was never seen unhappy his whole life — he was always playful and laughing. He gave this message to everybody who came to him — not through words, but by example. His happiness and laughter was infectious. In his last days, when he was about to die, he was laughing the same way he laughed always.
This was a matter of surprise to all his disciples, and one
of them finally asked him: “Beloved Master, we cannot believe that you can be
happy and laughing even now when you are on your death bed. We are feeling sad
and miserable. We always wanted to ask you many times in your life why you are
never sad. How did you manage to be happy in life? How are you managing it now
as well, at the time of your death?”
The Sufi master replied: “It is simple. If you know how to
remain happy in life, you will not have to worry when you die. When I was a
young man, I used to be a really miserable person. But then I met my enlightened
master.
My master looked to me always happy, sitting under a tree
and laughing for no reason at all. I wondered that he had nothing, nobody to
take care of him and still he was happy. I asked him, ‘Master, I cannot believe
that you can be happy and laughing just sitting under this tree. What is your
secret?’
The old man said, ‘One day I was also as sad and miserable
as you are. I meditated deeply, and then it dawned on me: You are unhappy
because you choose to be unhappy. The same way, you can choose to be happy.
Whatever is happening in your life is your own choice.’
Since that day, I have been very decisive. Every morning
when I wake up, I say to myself, ‘what do you want today — happiness or misery?
What do you prefer today?’ Then it becomes simple — I simply choose to be
happy. This is my daily meditation.