Types of happiness

Decades back, though life wasn’t steeped in luxury and comforts, still peace and happiness reigned supreme. But today, the more we are wallowing in affluence and sybaritic life-style, the less we seem to be happy! Why is it so? What exactly are we missing out, when it comes to experiencing that true sublime happiness? What is the recipe for that real happiness?

Interestingly, there are various things, which usher in happiness. Money, ruling power, good looks, fame, recognition, academic/professional success, globe-trotting, etc, each of these proffers happiness in its own way to each individual.

Apart from these, there are people, who find great happiness in ‘retail therapy’ too, wherein they go on shopping sorties, recklessly procuring all the things that would profoundly fascinated them.

But this happiness is only ephemeral, since by the time they possess one alluring object, the other object would have tantalised them, making them lose their sleep over it!
Then there are a few folks who find inordinate happiness, by developing great inter-personal equations with others. This happiness, which you derive by sharing great bonhomie and camaraderie with others around, is relatively long lasting. Since, when you are stuck on a sticky wicket, or engulfed by utter ennui, or sinking in a quagmire of emotional distress, or caught in murky maze of mental depression, it’s these people with whom you’d have forged sturdy bonds, try revivifying your spirits, by bailing you out of that mentally battered state.

Finally, you experience true happiness when you try dishing out loads of same happiness to people around you. This happiness could be instilled in others, via financial, physical or emotional help. One can offer financial help to less fortunate beings. The emotional help could be offered by giving comfort or solace to disturbed souls by listening to their outburst of mental agonies.

Physical help could be offered by stretching a helping hand to someone, combating with an energy-sapping work.

But supreme and singular form of happiness is experienced, when one has unconditionally managed to make others happy, without any expect- ations.

Not to discount, there are also people, who derive immense happiness by harming or hurting others! Needless to say, this is the lowest/cheapest form of happiness!