“To live happily is an inward power of the soul.” I heard this phrase while watching a movie and didn’t give it much thought until… keep reading and you will find out.
It was a routine Thursday morning at the advertising agency where I work. Phone calls, the clacking sound of keyboards, colleagues chattering, and the aroma of caffeine filled the space.
I was going through my emails when I received a message from my boss asking me to come to his cabin. Maybe he wanted to give me an assignment. Thinking to myself, I knocked on his cabin door. Amidst a phone call, without saying a single word, he simply handed me an envelope and gestured for me to speak with the HR department.
Puzzled, I opened the envelope and read the letter. It read that my employment with the agency had been concluded. In simple words, I was asked to leave.
Not because I was incompetent, but because my boss’s nephew had recently graduated and wanted a job.
This was so unfair.
Suddenly, my world had turned upside down. I cleared my desk and left the office.
Feeling dejected, I walked mindlessly at Azad Maidan near CST station and sat there watching people walk by.
With many questions and uncertainties in my head, I heard a friendly voice.
“Is everything alright?” A bearded man with a pleasant disposition walked up to me.
“Yeah… I am… I am okay,” I avoided the question as a tear came to my eye.
The stranger smiled and, stretching out his hand, said, “I am Prashant. Do you mind if I sit next to you for a while?”
“Sure,” I replied and shook his hand.
“So, is everything really alright? You look unhappy,” Prashant asked again in a soft tone.
There was something in his voice that made me blurt out, “I am having a terrible day. My boss fired me simply because his nephew could take my seat. I worked hard in that office for three years, and this is what I get in return. No explanation. Nothing… just asked me to leave.”
“I know it seems difficult now, but things will change and you will be okay,” said Prashant. He continued, “Mumbai is a land of opportunities, and it does not disappoint anyone. Even I have faced hardships and struggles in life. Nothing comes easy.
I am here, strong and happy, because I have understood that one must look for Ananda within oneself, not in outside sources like toiling, sacrificing, and negotiating our lives for the mere desire of owning big properties and having a lavish lifestyle. Joy must come from within. Only then will life’s struggles seem easier and can be effectively countered.”
I was annoyed with this guy, Prashant, giving me gyaan out of the blue. I stood up, picked up my bag to leave, when he removed a book from his backpack, handed it to me, and said, “Take this book with you. I want you to read it.”
I simply wanted to leave, but on his insistence, I took the book from his hand and walked away.
Reaching home after an emotionally exhausting day, I crawled into my bed and fell asleep instantly.
I had forgotten to switch off my morning alarm and woke up early with nowhere to go. While sipping coffee, I remembered the book. I took it out of my bag and read its title — Ananda: Happiness Without Reason — and the author’s name: Acharya Prashant.
Lo and behold!
I had bumped into the author himself.
I sat back and began to read. As I went through the chapters, I realised that eternal happiness comes from inner joy. Happiness from within can only be uncovered through self-awareness, resilience, and wisdom.
I did apply elsewhere for a job, and I am certain to get one. But I have realised that a job doesn’t define my value. No doubt, it is a part of me, an extension of my capability, but it is not going to define my happiness or my joy.
The book was truly a boon, giving me a different perspective on life.
Image Courtesy: https://pixabay.com/users/renan_brun-4672280/
If this story resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your reflections in the comments below.
– Swati Mohandas
About the Author:
Swati Mohandas is a Philosophy graduate and a certified computer professional from Mumbai, based in Pune with her family for the last two decades. Literature has always fascinated her. She writes short stories, blogs, poems, and has ventured into freelance content writing. She has published an award-winning book of collected poems titled Myriad Whispers, available on Amazon. When she’s not writing, she enjoys listening to music, exploring the outdoors, and scanning local bookstores.
