The Life Trails
Towards happier you
Seeking a break from the humdrum routine of urban life, I found myself in a deep sleep, dreaming of a village at the foothills where a trek began. I saw children playing freely, women working in the fields and singing joyfully, and men walking alongside mules, chatting in warm, friendly tones. Life appeared so simple, happy, and uncomplicated.
I started walking along a beautiful, green, and quiet path when an elderly man joined me. We walked together in silence for a while before he moved ahead, leading the way. At times, I would speed up or run a little to catch up with him, even secretly trying to overtake him.
In my dream within a dream, I realized that competing-being the best student, the best speaker, the best employee, and securing the best projects-had become second nature in the fast-moving urbanized world. I asked myself, "Am I truly enjoying this walk, appreciating nature, or am I just focused on outrunning someone?"
The man, more acclimatized to the track, took a sizable lead. I kept my eyes on him, afraid I might lose my way. Suddenly, I saw him bend down and pick something up. As I caught up with him, curiosity got the better of me. "What did you just pick?" I asked.
He pulled something from his bag and opened his fist, revealing a gleaming white rock- a diamond, the size of a kidney bean. It shone brilliantly in the daylight, almost blinding me for a moment. Startled, I exclaimed, "It's a diamond! It must be worth a fortune!"
But the man remained unimpressed, looking at it as if it were any ordinary pebble. "This could change your life-it's enough to last a lifetime!" I said, shaking with disbelief. Still, he said nothing.
"My God, you've found a treasure! Aren't you thrilled?" I pressed.
With a calm smile, he responded, "That is not true."
"Well, if you don't believe me, give it to me," I challenged.
Without hesitation, he handed me the stone and said, "If this makes you happy and can change your life, then you keep it."
My jaw dropped. He had just given away a priceless treasure without a second thought.
The rest of my trek went by in a blur.
Years passed, and when I finally had the diamond evaluated, I was right-it was worth
more than I could have earned in a lifetime. Yet, as silver streaks appeared in my hair and
worldly wisdom grew, so did my sense of guilt. I had possessed something for years that I
neither earned nor even discovered myself. A maze of questions formed within me,
entrapping me, urging me to seek answers.
Once again, I embarked on the same trek, hoping to find solace and quiet the uproar in my mind. Uncertain about the path and the guide, I eventually reached the village and found the man in a small dispensary.
He recognized me instantly and looked straight into my eyes. I wanted to seize the moment; the calm in his eyes and the aura around him gripped me.
"How have you been? Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Yes, all is fine," I replied, but he sensed that something was amiss.
"What is it that you have come to seek?" he asked.
"That noble heart, that unattached thought-how do you find the strength to part with precious possessions like diamonds?"
Now again, dreaming within a dream, I realized these ‘diamonds' in my life were not just material things. They were my branded clothes, luxurious cars, feelings of jealousy, anger, pride, misunderstandings, painful words-all the things that had defined my existence.
"How do you remain so calm, so content?" I asked. "How do you stay happy?"
"I need to learn to be satisfied, to be happy with what I have, to be magnanimous. I need to learn to control my thoughts."
I wished I could truly embody what I wanted to believe.
This dream left an indelible imprint on my life, creating a lasting trail-a trail of happiness I never could have found without this man. A friend, a mentor, a guide, a stroller, a beholder-whether in my mind or in my life.
And yes, that's the story behind: The Life Trails-toward a happier you.