Do you sometimes feel bored with the expensive gifts and toys you just bought a month ago?
What do we really need to be happy? This is the theme of this week’s blog: a simple story to make us think and reflect upon who we are, what we have and what we truly need to live a good life.
What do we really need to be happy? This is the theme of this week’s blog: a simple story to make us think and reflect upon who we are, what we have and what we truly need to live a good life.
A rich father, motivated to teach his son what poverty is, encouraged him to spend a few days in the countryside, in a very modest family. The child spent three days and three nights, living in the nature. Back to the city, the father asked him 2 simple questions.
“What do you think of your experience?
- It was good, replied the son, a little distant.
- Did you learn something, insisted the father?
- Yes, ‘replied the child.
- It was good, replied the son, a little distant.
- Did you learn something, insisted the father?
- Yes, ‘replied the child.
- We have a dog, they have four.
- We have a pool with treated water, they have the whole river, clear water, and fish.
- We have an electrical installation and lights in our garden, they have the stars and the moon for light.
- Our garden reaches the wall, theirs stretched to the horizon.
- We buy ready meals, they cook their own food.
- We listen to ipod and radio, they listen to a symphony of birds, crickets and flowing water from the nearby stream.
- We live surrounded by walls, protecting our belongings with alarms, they live in the open, protected by the friendship of their neighbors.
The father was impressed with the observations of his son. The son concludes: “Thank you for allowing me to learn that we actually are poor.” End of story and simple conclusion: we do not need much to be truly happy, friendship and life experiences are more valuable that what money can buy.
Intuitively, we sort of knew that but let’s think again: let’s reflect upon about the day ahead of us. How do we reconnect with nature, appreciate its simple beauty? How do we care for our family and friends? How do we look up from our laptop and TV to engage in meaningful activities?
The voice of this boy should stay in the back of our mind and remind us to simply lead a good life.
The voice of this boy should stay in the back of our mind and remind us to simply lead a good life.
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