Secrets of Spiritual Happiness

Secret #18 - There's Always a Way
to Create Happiness

 

By Sharon Janis

 

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I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can't make it through one door, I'll go through another door - or I'll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.

- Rabindranath Tagore

 

One of my friends who is a western-born swami - a monk of an Indian tradition - recently told a wonderful story.   He was spending several months away from his usual monastery while doing some service in Delhi, one of India's larger cities.   Swamiji's daily requirements often took him through one particular section of town, where the cars would have to slow down or stop for a while.   As the cars moved slowly through the road, a group of young boys would be going from car to car, begging for money.   This put my friend in a quandary.  

Swamiji is especially attuned to befriending youth, because much of his monastic service has been involved with guiding teens on the spiritual path.   He has quite a practical jokester sense of humor, which is just about right for entertaining adolescents.   In fact, he's pulled a few practical jokes on me in the past.

Here were these poor, sad-looking beggar children asking for rupees, however, with my friend being a monk, it was not really appropriate for him to give money to the children in that way.   At the same time, the swami didn't feel right just ignoring these children when they came to the car window.   He was much more used to playing and laughing with children than uncomfortably ignoring them.   I'm sure that anyone who has driven or walked through major cities of any country must have experienced the discomfort of not knowing how to respond to beggars on the road.  

The swami had recently received a gift from his guru -- a funny-looking cat puppet that almost looked real.   He had an idea.   The next time they drove through that part of town, Swamiji brought the cat puppet along.   When one of the kids came by his car to beg for change, Swamiji reached up with the hand puppet on, and grabbed the child's arm.   The child looked at the strange creature, squealed, and ran away.  

At first, Swamiji was concerned that he had scared the child off, but soon the boy returned with the rest of the children.   They all wanted to see the cat puppet, and the next thing you knew, the kids were all laughing and reaching out so the cat puppet could grab them too.   From that day on, every time the swami's car came through that area, the boys would run to surround his car and play with the cat puppet.   Talk about turning an uncomfortable situation around to create happiness!

This is what spiritually happy people do -- they approach common situations with uncommon radiance and heartfelt thoughtfulness. Every person on this planet has had the experience of seeing someone in need that you'd like to help, and perhaps could help in some small way, or on a temporary level.   You may not have the means to really help the person, or you may know that helping in that way would only serve to continue the cycle of poverty for them.   You're only one little person with limited finances - you can't just pour a few thousand billion dollars into uplifting conditions for those in need around the world.   What can one person do?  

Perhaps you can still offer a smile, a blessing, or some friendly words.   Or you could break out a cat puppet.   Ask your heart for guidance on how you can create happiness in any situation, according to your own best nature.

What the swami did was to give these children something even more precious than they would ever have dreamed of finding on that noisy street.   Forget the few rupees that they were begging for; the swami helped them to experience happiness, love, playfulness, laughter, and ecstasy.   And what did he get back from giving that?   More, more, and more of the same.   This story is a great illustration of how giving is receiving, and how the light we give to others also reflects back upon ourselves.   Happiness shared is happiness multiplied.

The final touch of Swamiji's experience came on the day when he was leaving Delhi. He hadn't told the boys that he was leaving that day, and yet, acts of joyful good will often bring amazing and grace-filled synchronicities -- the miracles of life, if you will.   As the swami's car made its way through the street on that last day of his stay in Delhi, there were the children.   They had been working on their own gift for him.   Without even knowing that this was the swami's last day, the children happily surrounded the car, and began singing in English, "We love you, we love you!"

How beautiful life is when we seek and find happy solutions for challenging problems!

 

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