Happyness

 I had a wild thought today; why not become the happiest man on the earth?

     Oh boy, what a challenge? Surely I’m going to need millions…no billions of quid? A drop-dead-gorgeous partner, or three! A mansion...no, two...no, ten! A yacht; or a super yacht; or a super-super yacht. A dozen sports cars? Famous friends, fame, glamour, notoriety? How the hell do I get all of that? More importantly: will it work?

    How much money is enough? How many car's equal happiness? Who is lovely enough? How do I stop time? Are my friend’s real friends? Does it even matter?

    Science looked into this question a few years ago and decided the happiest man alive was a French man, training to be a Buddhist monk; his name is Matthieu Richard. Matthieu had no mansions, no super-cars, no billions in the bank or yachts. I can’t comment on partners; that’s between him and the big man in the sky. So why was he judged to be the happiest man alive? Well, they measured his brain and it looked happy. 

                What did Matthieu attribute his fortunate outlook too? Exactly that, actually, his outlook. He judged himself as fortunate and tried to view everyone around him in a benevolent light. He stopped thinking of himself and choose to think of others. The person he was speaking to, the person he was working for, the person he was looking at, in-fact, anyone but himself. In doing that he got happier. It seems too simple to be true, but it was. 

                Yes, this seems like one of those click-bait headlines which ends in a stream of Viagra ads or get-rich-quick-programmes, (they don’t like being called schemes these days). Strangely, it didn't. It was as blindingly simple as it's true. Being nice to other people, without thought of yourself, will make you happier. Buying won’t do it! Owing won’t do it! Coveting won’t do it! Being bigger, rarer, more expensive, more renowned, more revered, more feared, in fact nothing you can think of will do it besides being more liked.

                I've a personal insight to share with you. I went to the supermarket today and as I was crossing the parking lot I lost my wallet but I was oblivious. Later, as I wandered along the veg aisle, a young man tapped me on the shoulder and asked;

                “Is this yours?” He was holding my wallet. 

                “Oh my God, yes!” I said and took it from his fingers. I was flabbergasted, not because it had much cash but because my cards were inside. It would have taken me weeks to get them all back. I wouldn’t have been able to pay for my shopping and that meant I wouldn’t have eaten.

“Thank you,” I said as I took it.

                “I passed you in the car park and thought it was yours.” I didn’t know what to say. I was too muddled. He just turned and walked away. I thought I should have offered him something for his kind deed, but it came to me too late.

                For the rest of the night, I kept thinking about the guy and wished I'd done something more than just saying thanks. Then I thought how I felt after doing something for another person without expecting anything in return. I remembered how good I had felt. I remembered the feeling of warmth, of joy, of contentment that had followed and I hoped the man that had helped me got all of those and more. That was when I realised how foolish most of the things I dreamed for were! 

                Money won’t make me happy!

                Houses won’t make me happy!

                Numbers on a bank account won’t make me happy!

                But, making people happy will make me happy, and being kind will do the same..and they costs nothing. 

I think it's worth a go. It can't hurt to try.