True Happiness

• “But it isn't really about choosing between your happiness and someone else's. It is about learning to find happiness in another person's happiness. Feeding a hungry child should make you happy.”
• Janushi Raichura

V ansh had grown up listening to tales of great men and women who displayed kindness and practised the art of giving. Whenever they had something that another person needed, they gave it freely, without hesitation or doubt.
He had always wondered how someone could do that. Were they pretending, or were they genuinely being nice? He wondered because he was utterly incapable of it. Giving his chocolates to a poor boy? Spending his saved-up pocket money to feed the needy instead of buying toys? No. He simply couldn't imagine doing that.
And it made little sense to him. After all, he was allowed to be happy. He was allowed to desire robots and ice cream. God was never supposed to demand that he give up the things that brought him joy.
Then why did he feel guilty every time he saw a starving child on the streets after returning from buying firecrackers? Why did he feel bad when he saw a hungry child after spending thousands on clothes for Diwali?
It was his festival, and he was allowed to be happy.
That was what festivals were for: to be happy.
Yet, the guilt continued to haunt him. On Dhanteras, after enjoying the fireworks, he went to bed, but all he could think about were the faces of the poor children he had seen.
The next morning, he decided to consult his mother.
How could he become kind? How could he learn to be generous?
"Mother," he called out, "how can someone choose another person's happiness over their own?"
His mother was dressed in a simple saree with elegant jewellery, getting ready for the pooja. His father was busy in the kitchen while she prepared the thaal for the aarti.
"What do you mean?" she asked. "Every time I see a poor child, I find myself in a dilemma. I wonder whether I should help him with my pocket money or buy something for myself. Why should I have to choose between my happiness and his? And why do I feel guilty whenever I choose my own happiness?"
His mother sat beside him, folding her legs comfortably.
"You feel guilty because somewhere inside, you know that you could have made a kinder choice." She gently patted his head before continuing. "But it isn't really about choosing between your happiness and someone else's. It is about learning to find happiness in another person's happiness. Feeding a hungry child should make you happy. You shouldn't do something good just because you are expected to. Learn to find joy in doing it."
"But what if buying games for myself makes me happier?"
"That's perfectly alright. We are all human beings. We all have a little selfishness and greed within us. The important thing is to gradually learn what true happiness means. True happiness doesn't lie merely in material possessions. It comes from the satisfaction of doing something meaningful. It isn't just about having things; it is about how you use them. Buying something may give you temporary pleasure, but using what you have to bring happiness to someone else can give you a much deeper sense of fulfilment. Instead of buying an expensive watch, you could use that money to feed ten hungry people. And when you go to sleep at night, you will feel content because you know you have made a difference."
"See, Vansh, that's why I married her. The wisest woman in the universe!" his father said with a chuckle as he brought the bowls of prasad into the room.
"And I married your father because of how delicious his food tastes!" his mother joked.
"So, how will I find happiness in helping others?" Vansh asked.
"It will come to you, gradually. Trust the process. But always remember, festivals like Diwali were never meant to be just an excuse to shop. They are celebrations of light, love and togetherness. They give us an opportunity to spread joy. And that is exactly what we should do."
"Spread happiness," Vansh repeated, almost like a mantra.