The happiness within

There is a saying in Sanskrit, “Satyananada Antarata Vidyathe.” It means simply that true happiness lies within you.

Too many of us hold others accountable for our happiness, instead of taking responsibility for our own state of joy. It might seem like an act of love when you say to someone that my happiness depends on you. But imagine for a moment what it means to the other person. You are expecting them to give your feelings supremacy over their own, and to protect your happiness at whatever cost to them. It’s an impossible task at best, and an inconsiderate one at worst.

Today is a special day. It marks a milestone in the process of growing. Which can be marked by a slice of cake or an invaluable lesson in life. Well, I choose both 😀

Along with a nice large chunk of Oreo cake, I choose to internalize – Take accountability for your own life, be responsible for your own happiness. Relieve everyone else and all external circumstances of that duty. And in that process, I hope to find that true sustainable happiness, which our ancient seers discovered eons before, which can be found only within us.

Image: The background picture (I superimposed the words) was taken in Bastakiya, a historical district in Dubai, away from the typical glitz and glamour. A place for a leisurely stroll through a traditional neighborhood where you find buildings with high air towers (Barajeel), and made from materials such as stone, gypsum, palm and teal wood.