Happiness is an inner quality. It comes from within. Great Physicist Albert Einstein scribbled two short autographed notes in 1992 (when he’s traveling for a lecture series) and handed them to the messenger(delivery boy) who refused to take the tip in the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.
These notes are regarded as Einstein’s Theory of Happiness. Later on, these notes were sold for a combined $1.8 million. One of the notes read: “A calm and modest life brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness.”
Coming to the tilted statement which asserts that no man is completely happy, exploration of happiness is here to mention first. Happiness implies content, satisfaction (with or to do something); having no objection (to something). Now it is imperative to see that all men aren’t satisfied with the way they live. They want to change their lifestyle somehow for near perfection or whatever deems superior to them.
Likewise, everyone has some kind of objection pertaining to life. Some people want big houses whilst others want mental peace. Some require good pastime and some others want to spend their time away from the hectic routine of the city lifestyle.
On a very snarky remark, even the women aren’t happy with their complexions sometimes. Some of them want to appear bright and white whereas others want to do their hair so that they look somewhat similar to their inspirations for looks.
A man riding a bicycle must be desirous of getting a car or motorbike. On the contrary, a man who’s already having a car might be thinking of getting into a plane or a vehicle of a more luxurious brand.
A student must be worried about class tests whereas teachers might not be in conformity with their work culture. A salaryman wants more income whereas a businessman wants greater share in the share market.
A king might be worried about the continuation of his hegemonic powers and a slave wants to get rescued from the congested way of living. Some sort of cognitive dissonance prevails almost everywhere.
So in the words of Boethius, an ancient Roman Philosopher, no man is so completely happy that something somewhere does not clash with his condition. It is the nature of human affairs to be fraught with anxiety; they never prosper perfectly and they never remain constant.
The title quote, also, belongs to Boethius whose best-known work is the Consolation of Philosophy which he wrote most likely while in exile under house arrest or in prison while awaiting his execution.
Chiefly, if one wants to be happy and contented then one must look at the sources of happiness. One can become happy by getting involved in some meaningful activity. Helping others can also be a source of satisfaction or happiness. Achieving some sort of autonomy somehow relates to happiness or otherwise contentment.
Moreover, one can be happy in relationships as well. To conclude, Bertrand Russell’s quote from ‘The Conquest of Happiness’ would be worth mentioning. He says: “The secret of happiness is this: let your interests be as wide as possible, and let your reactions to the things and persons that interest you be as far as possible friendly rather than hostile.”
Also, the late Pakistani Poet and Author Faiz Ahmed Faiz gave perfect disposition of the fact that true happiness can be found no where except from within.
اِس وقت تو لگتا ہے کہیں کچھ بھی نہیں ہے
مہتاب، نہ سورج، نہ اندھیرا، نہ سویرا
مانا کہ یہ سُنسان گھڑی سخت کڑی ہے
لیکِن مرے دِل یہ تو فقط اِک ہی گھڑی ہے
ہمّت کرو جینے کو تو اِک عمر پڑی ہے
