Be Happy

Last Friday, Samraat Club Panaji organised Deep Sandhya - the family get-together to celebrate the coming of the festival of lights.  On the occasion, Meenacshi Martins was awarded the Rangbhoomi Sanmaan – an award to appreciate her significant contributions to the theatrical stage besides her impressive journey as an actor in films and television.

In the interaction that followed, Meenacshi was asked about the secret of her ageless looks. She calmly replied that she chose to ‘be happy’! She explained that it made sense to ignore negativity and malicious criticism. She would immerse herself in various activities from parenting to gardening to social service. Doing positive things would help keep happy.

Happiness is a choice. But it is not an easy choice. We have to go beyond negativity as well as inactivity. It is about picking up the little joys in little things. It is to escape the trap to wait for a greater expectation to be fulfilled. It is to overcome the fear of the future. It is to be content with what we receive.

Happiness can be ours in every moment, if we escape the vice of reacting instead of accepting. Expectations, comparisons, fears and worries lead us to react. But happiness can be a proactive choice that depends on me – the individual – instead of the stimulus or the situation. The famous song urged us so well, ‘Don’t worry... Be Happy!’

Escape the reactionary vice…
to be happy is the right choice!

- Pravin K. Sabnis