Joie de vivre!
As I was reading a post today, I came across this phrase “Joie de vivre”, I read and re read …snap — snap. An instant cohesion as if I was meant for me to read it today. As if I was sent a message from divine, the message of “joie de vivre”.
So much is happening in recent times or off late, that possibly we have lost the essence of life. We are being pushed and pulled by large by an undefined social leverage. So some questions arise as to Are we living? Are we in our truest self? Are we to our utmost contentment? Are we to our best or fullest in our originality? ….so on so forth. A time to ponder or self-analysis. For me, I don’t think so, life seems more instrumental and thrawn rather than perky or optimistic. Well, momentarily I may be not so happy I can say.
I really loved this cute message I received this morning from a friend which says “Be happy for no reason. if you’re happy for a reason, you’re in trouble because that reason can be taken away”.
Is it that shallow? Is it merely superficial ? Is this just an exterior finish? Again a flock of questions invades! And the answer is … “exactly opposite as supposed to be”. Happiness is innate, its perpetual. We don’t need to find reasons to be happy. Reasons come and go, if so then the happiness is transient too. We need eternal happiness, which is beyond reasons or seasons and this phrase is just about it.I tried to find an exact English phrase for the Joie de vivre , and I failed. I don’t think it exists. The literal translation says “looking at your life as something that is to be taken with great pleasure and enjoy it”. It also means exuberant enjoyment of life, joy of living, ebullience and a delight of being alive. Wow…simple and sweet term with a magnificent and larger than life meaning giving me an utmost realization that yes! I am alive. I can be happy too.
We always confide in carapace of social dogmas or lock ourselves in our own paradigms, perhaps we call it comfort zone nevertheless the cribbing is unabating honing in on deficiency or dearth rather than focussing on abundance and blessings in disguise. We are usually adapted to perceive one side of a coin and switch ourselves on to complain mode instead of empathising the other side or other factors which could actually be more promising, rewarding or are a great protection. We miss majors mostly focussing on minor’s.
My Buddhist practice proved turn key to understand and overcome this state of mind to a large extent. It actually helped to switch off the complaint mode and tune into the gratitude mode. Now, the devil king or my inner monsters always on prowl to drift me from my goals, and elevating my inherent fundamental darkness impeding my growth towards betterment. But that’s where the application of my practice, my wisdom plays an important role to show the actual proof of the mystic law.
SGI president, Daisaku Ikeda, a great leader, philosopher and our mentor as we fondly call him Sensei says “there is a saying — a small heart gets used to misery and becomes docile, while a great heart tower’s above misfortune. True happiness is not the absence of suffering; you cannot have a day after day of clear skies. True happiness lies in building a self that stands dignified and indomitable like a great palace — on all days, even when it is raining, snowy or stormy”.
He further says “If you sacrifice your own growth and talent for any reason, you will absolutely not find happiness. True happiness is obtained through fully realizing your own potential”.
Happiness is not something that someone else, for instance — relations or materialistic gains can give you.one has to achieve it by own self. And the only way to achieve it is by developing one’s own character and capacity as a human being by fully maximising one’s own coherent potential. A process we call self-human revolution.
Such profound teachings penetrate to the core, and are engraved eternally making an individual realize the value of life and importance of Gratitude. So let’s dive into a feeling of excitement about our life, the care free enjoyment and the zest of living it.
That’s Joie de vivre!!!
-Jimmy
