Finding Happiness
Nowadays, it seems as though things move at the speed of light. With the development of the internet, just about anything and everything is at our fingertips. Online shopping has items delivered right to your doorstep. Online streaming has us watching whatever we want whenever and wherever we want. Cell phones keep us connected at all times. Social media sites allow us to share real time updates of what we're doing, eating and thinking. And while all of these advances are wonderful, this era of instant gratification creates a very individualistic focus — our wants, our needs, our interests.
So, when the following story started circulating on the internet, I just loved the message behind this simple exercise. Who knew a few balloons could be so eye opening?
Read on to see how one man used a few balloons to uncover the secret to true happiness. . .
Once, a group of 50 people was attending a seminar. Suddenly, the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each person a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.
Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name on it, within five minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding into each other, pushing around others, and there was utter chaos.
At the end of five minutes no one could find their own balloon.
Now each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.
The speaker began - exactly this is happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is.
Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness; you will get your own happiness. And this is the purpose of human life.
Hmmm. . .putting others first. Sounds an awful lot like the commandment given to "love one another." So what are you waiting for?
"We love, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
With all this talk of happiness, you should check this out. It’s sure to put a smile on your face!
h/t: Little Things
Featured Image Credit: ThinkStock