Over the years I have tried in vain to formulate happiness , I am aware of the fact that it is not quantifiable but then I always wonder how is one happier than other . Surely there has to be a formula for happiness , being an engineer I wanted to develop some kind of relation of various factors of life to happiness , to be able to derive some sort of relation of happiness to other aspects of life .
So on a recent evening with my friends I asked them what did they think affected the amount of happiness in our life ...
Most of them thought it was money .. some even had the atrocity of saying "Money can buy happiness" . Days after that evening my mind kept going round and round on that topic but it was one rainy evening that I got my answer . I was stuck in a mile long traffic jam with heavy rain pour thinking 'Now this is great I finally get out of office on time and here I am stuck in traffic ' while my mind was busy creating my usual day to day to do list , I saw two woman come out of an IT company , they looked like cleaners or maid .They had no umbrella and were completely drenched , they casually lifted there sarees upto knees and with childlike delight and glee on there face crossed the road with complete ease . Just looking at them I could feel the happiness they did , as they crossed their road my gaze followed them but soon moved to a woman dressed in business suit with a Nautica umbrella , high heels and laptop bag . She looked like a top executive from one of the neighbouring IT company , a woman who had everything in control and obviously flourishing financially . Although her complete personality resonated elegance her face showed irritation and anger on the sudden downpour . She looked unhappy with the unannounced rain and looked very impatient until finally she got into her chauffer driven car . The contrasting reaction of two woman both from different streams of life gave me the answer money can definitely not buy us happiness . It may be able to provide for our basic amenties or luxuries but it can takes away a lot in return . It snatches away our capability to enjoy in the natural joys of life , it does gives us a taste of finer things in life but also deprives us to feel the childlike joy which is priceless .
So coming back to my question "What are factors that affect happiness ? "
So on a recent evening with my friends I asked them what did they think affected the amount of happiness in our life ...
Most of them thought it was money .. some even had the atrocity of saying "Money can buy happiness" . Days after that evening my mind kept going round and round on that topic but it was one rainy evening that I got my answer . I was stuck in a mile long traffic jam with heavy rain pour thinking 'Now this is great I finally get out of office on time and here I am stuck in traffic ' while my mind was busy creating my usual day to day to do list , I saw two woman come out of an IT company , they looked like cleaners or maid .They had no umbrella and were completely drenched , they casually lifted there sarees upto knees and with childlike delight and glee on there face crossed the road with complete ease . Just looking at them I could feel the happiness they did , as they crossed their road my gaze followed them but soon moved to a woman dressed in business suit with a Nautica umbrella , high heels and laptop bag . She looked like a top executive from one of the neighbouring IT company , a woman who had everything in control and obviously flourishing financially . Although her complete personality resonated elegance her face showed irritation and anger on the sudden downpour . She looked unhappy with the unannounced rain and looked very impatient until finally she got into her chauffer driven car . The contrasting reaction of two woman both from different streams of life gave me the answer money can definitely not buy us happiness . It may be able to provide for our basic amenties or luxuries but it can takes away a lot in return . It snatches away our capability to enjoy in the natural joys of life , it does gives us a taste of finer things in life but also deprives us to feel the childlike joy which is priceless .
So coming back to my question "What are factors that affect happiness ? "
