The Joy of Living

Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that nothing in life is more important than being happy. When we were children, we had the gaiety which accompanies an innocent and carefree mind. We could giggle at our own mistakes and laugh away those of others. Somewhere along the process of growing up and taking on responsibilities, we “learnt” to be serious. Work and routine became more important than savouring every moment of our lives.

Not many of us can remember the last time we took time out just to have fun and be with the ones we love. This is especially true of us, Indians. The ambitious lot that we are, we enter the rat race almost unconsciously. Once we enter, it is just far too easy to lose track of family and fun. Let us try to jog our memories a bit. When was the last family picnic you had? When was the last time you complimented your daughter? When was the last time you watched your son play cricket? When was the last time you told your spouse that they mean the world to you. I am sure that atleast some of us are scratching our heads trying to remember the last occurrence.

Whether we are working or not, we often tend to get so caught up in aninflexible routinein which we forget to value our life and our loved ones. You will be surprised at the number of pleasant memories that you will make if you break out of that routine once in a while. If you are working person, maybe you could take your kids to the beach over the weekend instead of spending it in front of the television. If you are a stay at home parent or spouse, you could skip the cleaning chores occasionally and indulge in a sport or a board game with your friends. By no means am I suggesting that people abandon their day jobs or home responsibilities and engage in self-indulgence. I just want us to make sure that we don’t let our life slip away unknowingly and that we treasure our moments. I want us to smile more and frown less. I want our kids and elders to feel loved and to feel important. We owe it to our families and to ourselves to enjoy this gift that is life and spread the love.