THERE WILL BE 'SURPLUS' BALANCE...











Pic.: Anima D'Cunha
Among the many people I had sent greetings on the New-year day, there was this 19-year-old student of mine. “Happy New-year sir,” this dear student of mine said in her reply which she sent me on the next day. Then, she added so cutely, as almost all young-kids do, “Sorry for the late reply sir… There was ‘no balance’!"

It brought an innocent smile on my face and I instantly replied to my student, “Don’t worry dear… I wish you lots of ‘surplus balance’ in 2014…”

“Hahaha…Hope your wish comes true, sir,” my student was prompt, this time…

Well, the conversation, here, is so routine that, on the face of it, one may not find anything worth paying attention to… But, then, as I kept reflecting on it, I couldn’t help smiling more and more…

How can the year 2014 be ‘happy’ to anyone, including me and my 19-year-old student? Our lives – each and every one’s that is – will have the same kinds of experiences – ups and downs, joy rides and bumpy rides, delights and despairs… Yes, same kinds of 'surplus' and 'deficit' experiences… Feasts and fasts… Dreams and nightmares…

Then, why do I keep wishing everyone ‘A happy New-year’? Why does everyone do the same to me? Are we just fooling each other?

So, let’s go back to the teaser I had sent to my young-student: ““Don’t worry dear… I wish you lots of ‘surplus balance’ in 2014…”

I think, happiness, in deed, lies in our ability to notice – and rejoice in - more good things than bad ones as we move about our lives… And, I really think, there ‘are’ far more number of good things in our lives than bad ones… Far more number of happy experiences than the unhappy ones… We just need to notice them, honor them, rejoice in them… The more and more we do it, the happier our lives turn out to be…

I doubt, there is any other way of being happy in our lives… any other way of making this year a really ‘happy’ one…

An hour ago, I had been to my bank. The young-lady at the counter - even though she knew me and even though there was no rush - did not even acknowledge my presence and carried out the transaction as coldly as one could experience… Well, being a lot thin-skinned to such things, I did not feel nice there… But, right then and right there, from the opposite end, another lady-employee, who I had never seen before, gently called me, and handed two beautiful calendars to me, saying with her genuine warmth, “Sir, this is for you… Thank you.” Just then, the gentleman at the table next to her rose to greet me, “Happy New-year’, sir…”…

All this happened in a span of less than ten minutes… When I came out of the bank, I was feeling a lot better, a lot happier…

Why?

Because, if one person made me feel a little upset, there were two – right out there – to make me a  lot upbeat!


Therefore, I believe, that if we pause to see 
more number of happy episodes in our lives 
than unhappy ones… 
This year will surely be ‘a happy New-year’…


Yes, my dear student will have more ‘surplus balance’ in store for her…

You, me and everyone else, too!



GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Darpan L said…
As always, inspiring!
... Darpan L
January 4, 2014 at 4:46 PM
Nilesh Raj said…
Very cute! Nilesh Raj
January 4, 2014 at 4:55 PM
Vikas Sharma said…
Simple and beautiful. Vikas Sharma
January 6, 2014 at 11:14 AM
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