Because I'm Happy

What living out of happiness means…

- Yagyaraman Mahadevan

As a student, I had always thought doing an activity will make me happy. Playing instead of reading, chatting instead of doing home work would always make me happy. I always thought – getting a cycle would make me happy. When I saw my friend in Scooty, I thought that would make me happy. 90% marks would make me happy, a good job will make me happy and so on.

It was a big qualitative shift in perception when my guru Mahatria  explained, “Happiness shouldn't be a result. Happiness should be the process. There is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. Happiness isn't a destination. Happiness must be in the journey. The way to the picnic should be as enjoyable as the picnic itself”. Experientially I realized that when everything is done out of happiness, it makes things better and makes me be at peace with myself irrespective of results.

It was a warm Wednesday – a beautiful spring morning in Minneapolis. I listened to a Youtube music video and these 3 words – 'Because I'm Happy', were repeatedly running in my mind few hundred times in the last 72 hours.

Every Wednesday from 11 AM to 1 PM is our weekly project meeting at our vendor office, which is 15 minutes drive from our office. It was one of those rare days when we finished the meeting around noon. I had to send a document to my friend in India and initially thought I will send that courier in the evening. With the sudden availability of an additional hour during midday, I thought I can send the courier on my way to my office.