Sunday March 24, 2013

Being happy with the rest of the world

Sunday Starters by SOO EWE JIN

A life well lived is where you discover true joy even in tumultuous times.

WERE you in a happy mood on Wednesday? Or were you just plain grumpy?

Well, in case you are not aware, March 20 was International Day of Happiness.

The day to celebrate happiness on a global scale was established by the United Nations General Assembly on June 28 last year.

The resolution did not say exactly how we are to commemorate the day but UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the world’s citizens to renew their “pledge to help others” and push for “inclusive and sustainable human development”.

“Compassion promotes happiness and will help build the future we want.

“When we contribute to the common good, we ourselves are enriched,” he declared.

I agree. The key to real happiness is getting rid of the “I” and using more of the “We”.

In the global community, the rich and developed countries can certainly do more to help the poor and under-developed.

At the people level, it is when we think of others more that we are truly enriched.

But I remember March 20 for a different reason, and it made me happy.

I am able to look back on this date from two years back to its last detail because it was very special.

It was the day before I was to officially start chemotherapy, subsequently followed by radiotherapy, because of my journey with the Big C.

Although it was a journey I had traversed before, I knew it would be different.

On that March 20, which was a Sunday, I did not withdraw into solitude. In fact, it was a day when I openly declared that I was ready for battle.

I shared about what I would have to go through in the months ahead. It was not easy to share, and I broke down a number of times.

Family and friends came forward to pray for me. There were plenty of hugs and I have never seen so many grown men cry, along with the women.

But those were not tears of despair. Rather they were tears of hope and expectations.

They could see that while I was understandably emotional, there was still the inner joy that radiated outwards because I knew I was not alone.

Apart from the assurance of divine comfort, I knew that my wife and I could depend on many to come alongside us on this journey.

And so they did. Family and friends, including my neighbours, not only cooked for us but ran many errands on our behalf.

This was compassion in practice that spread the warmth of great joy and happiness even in tumultuous times.

By bringing a little cheer into my life, I believe many were enriched.

The International Day of Happiness is a global event that may have passed without anyone noticing anything.

Closer to home, perhaps we have all been too engrossed in the politicking leading up to the general election, that caused us to see walls being put up, instead of bridges being built.

But in everyday situations, I believe we are a generally happy lot.

Our individual happiness day is actually about being up close and personal with the people who truly matter.

Over a cuppa, we get to share our joys and burdens through words that encourage and not destroy.

Laughter and tears can intermingle in an environment of love and compassion.

It does not really matter whether you were outwardly happy on March 20, beaming from ear to ear with your smiles.

For if you have a life well lived, I can assure you that real happiness is always there, for you to draw on even on days when you are sad.

> Deputy executive editor Soo Ewe Jin (ewejin@thestar.com.my) is leaping with joy over the fantastic news for three of his friends who got the all-clear on their scan results last week.

News

Sunday March 24, 2013

Being happy with the rest of the world

Sunday Starters by SOO EWE JIN