Leading Wisely

11Happiness

Our happiness depends on wisdom all the way.

—Sophocles

Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for.

—Immanuel Kant

Lesson 8: Happiness

Nasrudin saw a traveller sitting disconsolately at the wayside. He asked, what is the matter?

‘There is nothing of interest in life,’ said the traveller. ‘I have a lot of money. I don't need to work. I am on this trip only in order to seek something more interesting than the life I have at home. So far, I haven't been lucky. I haven't found happiness.’

Without another word, Nasrudin seized the traveller's backpack and made off down the road with it, running like a gazelle. Since he knew the area, he was able to easily outdistance him. The road curved, and Nasrudin cut across several loops, with the result that he was soon back on the road ahead of the man whom he had robbed. He put the bag by the side of the road and waited behind some bushes for the other to catch up.

Presently the miserable traveller appeared, following the tortuous road, more unhappy than ever because of the loss of his backpack. As soon as he saw his property lying there, he ran towards it. After opening the bag, seeing that everything was still there, he shouted with joy.

‘Isn't that a rather simple way of producing happiness?’ observed Nasrudin.

The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius said, ‘The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.’ According to him, it is not what you have, or who you ...