“So long as I can laugh never will I be poor. This, then, is one of nature’s greatest gifts, and I will waste it no more. Only with laughter and happiness can I truly become a success. Only with laughter and happiness can I enjoy the fruits of my labor. Were it not so, far better would it be to fail, for happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal. To enjoy success I must have happiness, and laughter will be the maiden who serves me.”
Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World
Beyond the Quote (218/365)
Laughter and happiness isn’t something that you save for later. Nor is it something that you should have to pay for or have to work to achieve. It’s not hidden in some exotic destination. And it’s not found in a designer store nor is it unlocked with a blue checkmark on a social platform. Laughter and happiness is, as Mandino points out above, “one of nature’s greatest gifts.” It’s a gift that has already been given to you. It is given to everyone at birth. You can access it at any time. If you can’t access or unlock this gift, it isn’t because it isn’t there, it’s because you have become confused or have misplaced or forgotten about it.
How do I know this? The easiest way to know is to look back at how you treated the gifts of laughter and happiness when they were first given to you—when you were born. When you were a baby, did you ever laugh? Did you ever express happiness? Were you ever joyful? Of course! Not all of the time, that’s for sure, but you certainly accessed and expressed your gifts when you were younger—we all do. It’s only as we grow older and become more self-conscious, exposed to media, and taught to seek what’s novel that we forget.
Think about a toddler when they are with their new toy. They are as happy and content as can be! They will play with their new toy as if it were the only toy in the world and as though nothing else mattered (sounds nice, doesn’t it?). It is just them, their toy, and the infinite reach of their imagination. But, when another newer toy comes into the picture, all-of-a-sudden their other toy loses it’s novelty. They forget how to channel that inner joy and happiness and start to devote their time and energy into acquiring or playing with that new-new toy instead. When this happens, it is not as though their happiness and laughter was stolen away—no. It was simply replaced with desire and left behind in a compartment of their imagination. And so it goes.
What is the difference between children with their never ending desire for new toys and adults? It is the same. It is simply a difference in scale. Young children have smaller desires and grown adults have larger desires—that is all. Once you understand this, you will understand that your happiness isn’t lost nor has it been stolen. You have simply stored it away in a compartment within yourself. It may have happened so long ago that you have forgotten. You may have even forgotten where it was stored. You might just now be realizing that this was a possibility and might be feeling lost and confused! None-the-less, I’m here to tell you that it’s there. It’s inside of you, waiting to be reopened with but the right decision and search of your mind.
What might be the best way to start this process of rediscovery? First, you must deal with desire. Start by diluting, dissolving, and eliminating desire in every way you can. Desire will always only beget more desire. There is no end to desire. Desire is the antithesis of happiness. Where there is desire there is a gap. A gap between where you are and where you want to be. Between what you have and what you want to have. Between who you are and who you want to be. How to be happy when there are constant gaps created in your mind? You can’t.
Once desire has been dropped, then you will be left to search through and resurface what’s already there. This is where you will find the pleasure that you once had in your “old toys.” This is also where you will find yourself starting to connect more and more to the present moment because there is no desire to be anywhere else. Once desire is lost you can start to undo the years lost. You can start to get back in touch with your younger, more pure, festive self. If you will simply let it happen, it will.
What’s more, is that once you find your way closer to this state—everything becomes better. Of course, the good times will be better because they will be accented with laughter, smiles, and joy. But, so too will the hard times. This isn’t to say that we should laugh and feel joyful during times of loss, sadness, or suffering. But, it will allow you to more quickly convert times of loss and suffering to feelings of gratitude, contribution, and interconnectedness rather than feelings of depression, hate, or malevolence.
Furthermore, work will become better. Family gatherings will become better. Nights out with friends will become better. Walks around your neighborhood will become better. Rainy days will become better. How could this not be the case? Give it a try. See how it feels. And if you’re not convinced after a good, hearty attempt then go back to chasing that next novel toy. What do you have to lose?
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