ARE WE HAPPIER THAN OUR FOREFATHERS

ARE WE HAPPIER THAN OUR FOREFATHERS

Outline:-

1.   Happiness depends on what one desires. The man with simple wants is likely to be happy.

2.  We have all the inventions of science, we have modern improvements. We are not always happy.

3.      Our forefathers had not those things, but were happy.

4.      Happiness depends on the mind, not on outside things.

In our modern age, we have comfortable homes, fine schools, railways for fast travel, motor-cars telephones and cinemas, books and medical services. Yet it cannot be said that we are always happy. In fact, modern life is a hard competition with much mental strain and worry since man became a city-dweller. The fight is harder, the jealousy between nations has increased since communications brought us into touch with other people. Never have doctors had so many cases of nervous strain to cure; never was there more fear of war. How is it that, with increase of material comfort, there has not been increase of happiness?

Our forefathers lived in villages. They knew none of the fine things mentioned in the preceding paragraph, but were engaged in tilling the soil for a living. In the evenings they sat in quiet talk with their friends, interested only in the affairs of the life in their own village or small town. They went to bed by the light of little lamps, not caring what might be going on hundreds or thousands of miles away, and slept peacefully and in contentment. They did not feel the need of the fine things which we have come to look upon as necessary for life Contentment is real happiness.

This should not be a new truth. The old teachers of this religions preached simplicity. Socrates, Diogenes, and the Holy Prophet all taught that the man who could keep his personal desire and needs as few and simple as possible had the greatest chance of being contented. Yet we are slow to learn this lesson even after their teachings. The average man is not contented with one promotion and one salary rise, but longs for the next. He longs first for a bicycle, then for a motor car. We live in an age when men admire riches more than spiritual power, and long for luxury of the body rather than the peace of mind. This age of materialism will never be happy till men pay more attention to the ancient teachings. 

Our Holy Prophet (SAW) spent his life in teaching this and in illustrating it by his personal example of simplicity and service. Let us all learn to keep the things which science has given us in their proper place. Those things should be our servants; many of us have made them our masters. True happiness is a state of the mind, and can better be attained in the cottage than in the kings’ palace.