Incidental happiness

This incident is of the period when I was in a job, long ago. One of my colleagues, a Sikh gentleman, was denied promotion despite his being very hardworking, sincere and, in my opinion, the most deserving of all. Neela Sood writes.

This incident is of the period when I was in a job, long ago. One of my colleagues, a Sikh gentleman, was denied promotion despite his being very hardworking, sincere and, in my opinion, the most deserving of all.

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Visibly glum and shattered, one morning, when he was sharing his agony with me, he received a call and all of a sudden his face lit up with joy and euphoria. After he had concluded his call, he looked exulted and exclaimed, “Madam, I thank God very much. I am very fortunate. One very good family has conveyed their okay to my proposal for my daughter’s marriage with their highly eligible son.” Having said this, he went out. After some time he was back with a packet of sweets and was distributing to all staff members with happiness radiating from his face.

When he came to me with sweets, I said jokingly, “Sardarji, is it not strange that only an hour ago you were shattered after having been denied a promotion; and now despite no change in that status, you are mad with euphoria.” His reply was “Madam, why should I think of that when God has given me another reason to be happy, after all my promotion is not above the happiness of my family and daughter. That promotion wouldn’t have given me even half the joy what I have now.”

One should never choose to live by taking note of bad incidents only and then remain stuck to them. Real wisdom lies in learning to choose between the two.