Going through the daily grind of life, one often feels that others are much better off. The common man usually lives on the hope of surpassing the bounds of his lovliest dreams and reaching the heights of success and glory that no one has ever achieved. Own a house on the moon, bring down the stars to adorn one's beloved...
No limits to the flight of one's fantasies.
The other day a woman running a beauty parlour remarked with some amused irritation that all her clients want their hair styled like Jiah Khan or Aishwarya Rai...they don't look at themselves before making their demands, she said. Very right! On another occassion a woman working as an assitant to a doctor, was watching a daily soap on television as she said longingly, "these women and girls have it so easy...get all decked up with nice clothes and jewellery, mouth the same dialogue over and over in every serial, earn good money...they don't have to wait for the bus or train...they have everything...fame, name...what more could they ask for?" Very right again...or is it really so?
Ask the actors too for their opinion one of these days.
A friend called up to say that she will be coming to Mumbai for the vintage car rally scheduled for the weekend, will be staying at the Taj...and my younger sister said, "How lovely! She'll enjoy so much, meet so many celebrities...the event itself being impregnable by the common man is so prestigious and being invited to it...Oh! How wonderful!!"
(Of course this friend by no means belongs to the "masses" category.)
This got me thinking and I've been wondering if that is all one wants in life. And what could possibly be lacking in the lives of those who have wealth, health, fame and the world at their feet? It is said that only the wearer knows where the shoe bites. So are the Ambanis, the Tatas, the Birlas satisfactorily happy with all their money and immense power? What on earth could be lacking in the lives of the likes of Maharani Gayatri Devi...the likes me would think.
It is quite logical to assume that beauty brings the best of blessings automatically. It may not be an entirely wrong assumption. But at my age and with my experience and observation of people around me I think this is just as big a farce as a mirage on a scorching summer afternoon because this was true all good-looking people would be happily contented in life.
It is also the general belief that one can buy everything with money. Hence money is the most important thing in the world. If this be so, then all the rich should be happy people. But is it really so?
What is then the mantra to be happy? Happiness is essentially a state of one's mind. Also it would be wise to remember that there is nothing absolute out here. Everything is reletive and subject to one's perspective, and a rather interesting irony is that the forbidden friut is supposed to be the sweetest. It is only human to feel that the queue in which I stand for tickets on a railway platform moves the slowest. But we all know that its not really true.
The trick is to not expect favours from others. But try to grab every opportunity that comes our way to make someone happy. One may not always be lauded for such gestures, but the inner satisfaction and happiness it brings makes giving it a try worthwhile. The fact is people often do not choose to be happy. Stop admiring other's shoes and trying fruitlessly getting into them.
I would never like to live anyone else's life. You never know what the other is going through!!!
Zohra Javed.
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