This is a question which I posed to
myself sometime back in my journal. I left a small blank space on the page in
which I had to fill in my answer within 2 sentences. It had to be precise. A good
number of activities make me happy, but the question was not talking about
happy but happiest, taunting me for an answer much deeper than what lies on the
surface.
Today, I had an experience which got me thinking
and connected the dots to the answer I was searching for. And it came from the
most unlikely of experiences.
We are having a photo shoot session at my
workplace as part of the company’s anniversary celebrations. Each branch of the
business is tasked with taking a group photo of staff in uniform (smart white
company shirt with tie) which is to be shared with the rest of the company prior to the commencement of the events.
A group picture is taken for the branch
staff outside the office premises. Upon completion a suggestion is made from
amongst us to take some more photos were we loosen up as we looked too serious
in the previous ones taken. We wave and smile and with each photo taken and then
we keep pushing each other to make increasingly ridiculous poses. One pose
leads to the next and before we know it, we are doing knee tag jumps, press-ups,
running in circles, etc. A photo shoot suddenly turns into a boot camp.
As this is happening, a part of me kept saying
to myself “this is childish, am an adult and adults don’t do such things”. But while
this inner war was going on, outside state was filled with uncontrollable
laugher from myself and colleagues. I haven’t seen my colleagues laugh that
hard and simply embrace a moment like what I saw today in a very long time. We
completely lost ourselves in that moment.
This experience has answered the
question I asked myself some time back, “when am I the happiest?”
It is the time when I really let go, it is
the time when I release my inner child, the part of me that doesn’t judge an
activity like an adult does, it is when am in the present moment and simply embrace
it for how I feel and not what other people will say or do.
On reflection, most of the times I have deeply
felt happy, there is an almost childlike connection to the event, person or
activity.
I recently had an outing with my wife where
we came across a rope tree swing at the location. Without any warning, we
started playing with the swing by pushing each other and found ourselves acting
like little kids on a playground as we did. My wife was 1st on the
swing and as I continued pushing her, she couldn’t believe we were behaving
like kids as we both laughed our lungs out while doing this. It was my turn on
the swing and after a few “pendulum movements” I said to my wife “love, this
feels so good, is this how kids feel?” as I laughed my heart out
while holding on to my dear rope.
What activity, experiences, people bring
out the part of you which lives deep inside (inner boy or girl). Is it
travelling to new places and experiencing the culture of that place, playing a
musical instrument, or perhaps dancing at a party like no one is watching? Or could
it be playing a game with your spouse or partner?
Happiness is being a kid. Letting go of
oneself in the moment and being carefree.
Why don’t we do it more often? Is it because
we are afraid, we would look stupid or childish?
Rediscover your inner child and you on
your way to experiencing true inner happiness.
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