I found this gem in an Indian newspaper and promptly shared it in my Instagram feed.
The newspapers in India are full of all sorts of bizarre, unreliable and unethical content. In the same paper whose headlines read “Pakistan court drops attempted murder charge against nine-month old” and “Fisherman finds sex toy inside a cod”, there is also a news story detailing how “police raided a bungalow in [Lonavala] and arrested 45 for ‘obscenity’”. Apparently the police found “44 bottles of alcohol, including 10 beer bottles, 21 packets of condoms, six hookahs, 28 masquerade masks, a music system and 40 music CDs”. Wait, what was the obscene part? The condoms? If 45 people were arrested, there wasn’t even one condom for everybody. Those 21 packets could have been one hopeful person’s stash. Or were the packets boxes of multiples rather than individually wrapped rubbers? In that case, good for those 45 for using protection at their orgy! Was it the alcohol that was obscene? There were 44 bottles of alcohol, and again, not even everybody gets one. When 10 of those are beer bottles, how does that fall under the spectrum of obscene, particularly when alcohol consumption is permitted in India? Were the masquerade masks obscene? I’d hate to know what the Indian police would think of the moustache party I had at my cabin back in 2010.
Recently someone pointed out the classified section in which ads very clearly offer illegal escort services under the guise of “spa treatments” in the fitness section. When the website below the ad is something along the lines of indiancallgirls.com, it is embarrassingly obvious that this has nothing to do with fitness, but that the spa session is intended to have a happy ending.
After discovering these newspaper absurdities, I was disappointed that I didn’t start reading the paper on the regular earlier on in my stay.
All joking aside, there was one adorable article in the paper, titled “Ways to Enhance Happiness.” While I’ve been here, I’ve been making lists – lists detailing moments of joy I’ve experienced and lists of gratitude; I now understand that it’s perfectly acceptable to be grateful for a great set of sharp knives or a microwave to reheat food. I have been exploring what happiness means to me, and I have also come across a handful of Indians here who have, as they say, created their own oasis, and I like this idea. Regardless of what we must face or how someone behaves around us, if there is a custom-made oasis waiting for us, we can stubbornly remain in a state of happiness, undisturbed. When I came across this article, I read it and then wrote down the main points on how to enhance happiness:
- Enhance simple behaviours: get enough sleep, exercise, pursue a hobby
- Stay organized (de-clutter regularly)
- Practice daily gratitude
- Focus on your strengths
- Practice relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation, etc)
- Find humor – don’t take everything too seriously!
- Seek professional help if required to treat depression or anxiety
I wholeheartedly agree with these points and this approach to happiness. I have also carved out my own personal path to happiness (a work in progress), and this is the foundation of my oasis, my place of stubborn happiness. The points in the article are practical, and anyone can make small changes in their daily life to take a step toward deeper happiness in life. Even if it’s throwing out an old pair of jeans that no longer fit. Or taking a minute to quietly sip coffee in the morning. Or laughing when your partner forgets to buy milk instead of becoming upset.
Life is just too short.
What do you think about these tips?.. and what does your personal oasis look like?
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