True Happiness

In adolescence, I hated being compared with others.

And yet, without noticing it, I began so easily to compare one person with another, one thing with something else.

Tempted by the world inside our phones, we want to score everything, and instantly broadcast and post whatever words occur to us.

When dining out:
“That restaurant does this better.”
“The service has declined since last time.”
“I would give it a ten.”

Before we can give thanks for the dish before us and taste it with a simple “delicious,” we compare, judge, and rank.

When travelling. When meeting someone. At work.
Even ourselves.

In adolescence,
there was the frustration of being ranked.
There was the sadness of being compared and told we were “below.”
Measured against appearances and society’s yardstick,

we could not have been happy.

Criticise, and flaws come into view.
Compare, and what is lacking comes into view.

So let us remember.

Beyond comparison,
there is no happiness.
Let us find the goodness that is surely here, right before us.

• Tell someone, “This is delicious.”
• Do not hold back your thanks.
• Look for the singular charm only this person has.
• Notice what is precious only here.
• Fully savour what has been offered to you.

When we stop comparing and criticising,
the true happiness before us comes into view.

SISYU