a breakthrough in thought which has enabled me to be a much happier person. |
I believe in Spreading Happiness I have never really believed in god, or any religion for that matter. For the majority of my life I have spent it asking myself this question; “If there are so many different religions then how are they all right? and then if we think one is wrong, or even evil, how do we know that they just don't think the same about us?” I pondered this for about eight years until I had happened to fall into a conversation with a member of the catholic church. I told him my thoughts on the subject and he responded saying he felt the same way when he was my age, but as he grew older he asked himself “When must have been put on the earth for some reason, what is it?”,and with that thought he devoted himself to god. I thought about what he said a lot, and after a few weeks of asking myself the same question he did I had an idea, that maybe we aren't as important as we would like to think we are. Maybe we are just as important as a termite, or a rat, or really anything. I thought about it, and the more I thought the more it made sense to me. People are scared, there terrified about the idea of being worthless, of being forgotten; but ask yourself this when you step on an ant or swat a mosquito how quick does it take to forget about its death. Could it be possible that we are just as important to the world as anything else that inhabits it? that when we look at a tadpole or a mouse and we feel as though its a worthless creature and we ourselves are so much higher and important, that it is actually looking right back at us and thinking the same thing. I decided this was so, that it was in human nature to value ones life more then anything, thus allowing him or her to blow themselves out of proportion. What could I do about this? All of a sudden I felt so tiny in this big world, I thought some more and decided the best thing to do was not be scared. To value my life, but realize it for what it really is. At that moment I realized that all i could really do in this world that would make a real difference, and the only way to truly obtain a fulfilling life, is spread happiness. So I came up with a few rules for myself, the first rule is that whenever I drive buy a homeless person who is holding up a sign, i always have to buy him a meal. I started doing this when i was first able to drive, and the joy it gave me when they were so thankful for me doing it was so rewarding. I usually will stop by at the nearest fast food and buy them one of the meals, but I have also given gift cards, or parts of my food that I bought. Second is that I always donate at least a dollar when i come by a group of people collecting for charity. I find that doing this brings happiness to alot more people then you think, such as the person who is in charge of collecting, and the person who the charity donate to or helps. Lastly is that I always try to listen to people when there talking to me as well as I can. It is a really simple thing to do and at times all someone needs is to be heard. These are my own personal beliefs on the issues of religion and overall happiness in the world, I am not saying that its right, or wise; but ever since I have started to do this, I have found that I am a much more happier person then when i was before. |