Life is largely stereotypical for most of us. Even for someone who’s doing the most offbeat of jobs (circus ringmasters / journalists / skydivers / politicians) it might get boring and monotonous after sometime. This being the case, how do most of us manage to keep our chin up, flash a smile and maintain a cheerful demeanour for the largest part of our conscious time?
My take on this is that: it is because of small moments of happiness. Moments which you don’t even recognize as significant. But they are there alright, making your day, bit by bit; smile by smile.
As I was driving home yesterday, I began thinking about instances of these moments and was quite surprised at the big list that I drew up in my 15-minute travel! So here I am at my desktop, trying to put together that all-important list:
- Scratching where it itches
- Finding an old friend on Orkut
- “It’s Friday” mails from all and sundry on Fridays
- Getting into the lift and finding that the only other occupant is a good looking girl / guy (depending on whether you are a guy / girl)
- Reaching the counter after a long wait in a serpentine queue
- Driving out from a petrol bunk with our fuel indicator set to “on” from “reserve” after a long time
- Indicating to a fellow motorist that his headlight is on (during daytime)
- The smile the security people give you when you enter office
- The few moments that you spend admiring yourself on the mirror every time (you think) you look good
- Locating a lonely spot on a beach
- Finding a parking slot
- Relieving oneself after a long period of "urgent bathroom"
- Being the first to vroom off at the green signal
- "Your salary has been credited" mails
- "Rush to my table for sweets / chocs / tirupati laddoo" mails
- Getting a nice ringtone from a friend
- An old favo playing on the FM radio
- Coming across Mile Sur Mera Tumhara on Doordarshan
- Humming A R Rahman’s signature tune for Airtel
- Seeing a Mani Rathnam movie lying on the bed on a lazy Sunday afternoon
- Getting a window seat on a bus / upper berth on a train
- Reaching the venue in time for a meeting
- (And finding that no one else has come yet)
- Getting into the lift at the top floor, and zooming down to the ground floor without any stops in between
- People laughing for a joke of yours
- Someone tries to break your code and fails
- You break someone else’s code
- Getting a full house in Thambola
- An early morning walk in a (c)hill station (cap and gloves in place)
- A sixer shot landing outside the ground
- Breaking for tea during a long day at work
- Receiving your first ever visiting cards / name plate
- Looking out of the window for a fleeting moment on a very busy day
- “New mail received” desktop alert when you are sitting bored
- Being shaken up from your sleep at midnight by a group of friends who came over to wish you on your birthday
- Pushing a door marked “Pull” and finding that it works either way
- Pulling a door marked “Push” and finding that it works either way too
- Taking time off work and reading a nice blog
- Wishing the author that he has made your day
Add more to this list in your comments; would sure help us realise how much there is in the world to feel happy about.
So is there anyone out there who still contends that life sucks?
