The answer to my quest for truth

Happy children playing in rags and bare-feet are nothing short of the best image of the truth that happiness in life does not come from the grand events of life but is made up of innumerable little things that seldom cost much, writes Dorothy Victor

The light drizzle continued as we finished our walk in the nearby park where my significant other and yours truly go every evening. The relatively new and aesthetically landscaped park is one of the popular outdoor retreats for residents of the area.

Walkers, health-watchers, budding models hanging around taking selfies, nature-lovers, parents strolling with their infants on prams, senior citizens catching up for a round table on national politics, carefree youngsters with snazzy phones as well as dating couples struck by the cupid’s arrow, all converge for some refreshing time in the brightly lit and aerated park.

Amidst this entire buzz there is one section of the park from where I receive enlightenment and garner some pertinent answers to my quest for truth. It’s the children’s corner equipped with jungle gyms, slides and a play area for the entertainment of the little ones.

I see scores of children having a merry time every evening. While most kids are accompanied by their parents there are also a few among them who come by themselves to play. From the looks of their worn out clothes to their unkempt hair, it is easy to decipher the economic status of these kids. Perhaps they are children of some labourers in the neighbourhood; perhaps they belong to the families of the live-in-maids of the swanky bungalows surrounding the park; perhaps their dads work as watchmen in the apartments close by. Whatever be the case, these are surely the children of the lesser Gods. And yet, it is heartening to see the cheer on their faces; it is inspiring to note their upbeat spirit and it is touching to watch them try to mingle and mix; play and be entertained; to be a part of the happy world.

What also strikes me is that these kids are never seen to sulk or look forlorn, ever. When I notice the sense of satisfaction and contentment about them, I begin to agree with the philosophy that, “to be without some of the things you want is an indispensable part of happiness.” It surely seems that these kids, from the economically weaker sections of the society, have an almost sure hunch that in all their growing up years they are bound to be without the things they want; and perhaps this inevitable truth becomes an indispensable part of the happiness they exude.

Again, these children drive home the truth that happiness is by and large a choice and a by-product. It comes to those who choose to be happy, no matter how they feel and despite their current circumstances in life. Contrarily it eludes those who seek and chase after it vehemently as the only goal in life at the cost of compromising on moral and ethical values.

Happy children playing in rags and bare-feet are nothing short of the best image of the truth that happiness in life does not come from the grand events of life but is made up of innumerable little things that seldom cost much.

As I circle around the jogging track of the park, the moment I hit the western corner which nestles the children’s area, I feel a surge to life and am convinced of the eternal values of the universe. In the disposition, attitude and spirit of these innocent kids I know lie the answers to my quest to seek the truth, the good and the right attitude to life. And I continue my walk with the assurance that if these little ones with little hope for a brighter future can be happy and contented, then much of humanity still has hope.

In the light drizzle that continued turning dusk into a dull grey, I could hear the faint cheer of laughing children in the background as I left the park. It carried the message that as long as there are children being added to the universe, we can be rest assured that God has not yet given up on the human race.