It is no secret that your perspective has a lot to do with your happiness. Today, my perspective is from a cliff overlooking a vast harbor where allied troopship convoys were assembled in WWII to cross the Atlantic and provide supplies and a fighting force for the effort to liberate Europe from the Nazis.
But today – more than 75 years removed from WWII – the water is blue, a few seagulls surf the air currents, and a few fluffy clouds float against a bright blue sky.
It’s a far cry from the frantic wartime efforts that took place here years ago.
In his book*, Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill, author Matthieu Ricard tells the following story that illustrates the importance of perspective in our happiness.
“I remember one afternoon as I was sitting on the steps of our monastery in Nepal. The monsoon storms had turned the courtyard into an expanse of muddy water and we had set out a path of bricks to serve as stepping stones. A friend of mine came to the edge of the water, surveyed the scene with a look of disgust, and complained about every single brick as she made her way across.When she got to me, she rolled her eyes and said, “Yuck! What if I’d fallen into that filthy muck? Everything’s so dirty in this country!”Since I knew her well, I prudently nodded, hoping to offer her some comfort through my mute sympathy. A few minutes later, Raphaele, another friend of mine, came to the path through the swamp.“Hup, hup, hup!” she sang as she hopped, reaching the dry land with the cry “What fun!” Her eyes sparkling with joy, she added; “The great thing about the monsoon is that there’s no dust.”Two people, two ways of looking at things; six billion people, six billion worlds.Happiness – Matthieu Ricard – pg. 21-22
“I remember one afternoon as I was sitting on the steps of our monastery in Nepal. The monsoon storms had turned the courtyard into an expanse of muddy water and we had set out a path of bricks to serve as stepping stones. A friend of mine came to the edge of the water, surveyed the scene with a look of disgust, and complained about every single brick as she made her way across.
When she got to me, she rolled her eyes and said, “Yuck! What if I’d fallen into that filthy muck? Everything’s so dirty in this country!”
Since I knew her well, I prudently nodded, hoping to offer her some comfort through my mute sympathy. A few minutes later, Raphaele, another friend of mine, came to the path through the swamp.
“Hup, hup, hup!” she sang as she hopped, reaching the dry land with the cry “What fun!” Her eyes sparkling with joy, she added; “The great thing about the monsoon is that there’s no dust.”
Two people, two ways of looking at things; six billion people, six billion worlds.
Happiness – Matthieu Ricard – pg. 21-22
Matthieu’s little story here goes a long way to demonstrating for us the importance of our perspective. Today, there are 7.9 billion people on the planet. NONE of those people have exactly the same perspective on everything.
7.9 billion people = 7.9 billion worlds — Some happy…many not.
We all live within our own perspective…our own unique way of seeing the world.
But that’s good.
Why?
Because that means that we can also change our perspective.
So let me encourage you today to play an active role in your own happiness by altering your perspective.
No, it won’t change the circumstance…but it will change your viewpoint and emotions regarding the circumstance.
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Until next time… Have a happy day.
* I cannot recommend everything written in every book I mention in my blog. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and where a book is right or makes a good point, I will give credit where credit is due.