All the World's a Stage

What a wonderful thing life is! How many of us realize that our existence in this world has a beautiful meaning. All of us have a certain place in this world, a well meant one. Did you ever think about this? Do you realize why you have gone through certain experiences, opportunities or chances while others have experienced life in a very different way. 

There are reasons that sum up our experiences or opportunities in our life. First and foremost is your own will power. There have been men and women who have had extremely strong will powers, powers to achieve on whatever goals they set for themselves. They discovered the reason of their existence into this beautiful world. They played the role they were destined for.

Second is the urge or sensitivity or perhaps the awareness of living a wonderful life. You would certainly want to do something worth your lovely life. That would entail a series of efforts towards realizing your potential. You may become a doctor and serve a million people through your practise. Or you may become an artist, filling beauty into people's lives. Or even after reaching a certain milestone, you may discover you can be something more. Like, despite being a politician, you may discover the leader within yourself, influencing and making a difference to your nation!

The examples are numerous. But what is important is valuing your life. Realizing that your life is a precious gift and should be put to a good cause. You don't have to become a celebrity overnight, or a politician... but once you do become something, you should question whether what you have become gives you satisfaction or not. Whether you are a doctor, housewife, manager, artist or performer, if you don't feel satisfied in that role, you may still be on your path to discovering yourself. Even if you are a wife, parent or brother to someone, you do play a wonderful role in the life of your loved one. If you don't feel satisfied about a certain relationship, its because there is still immense scope for improvement between you and your loved ones. You need to figure out how to keep satisfaction flowing into your relations, whether it is an explicit effort between two people or just some more adjustment from your end. 

No matter what role you play, personally or professionally, you need to feel content and satisfied about it. If there is something that is still not peaceful, then perhaps you need to discover it, a little more. If you do not feel content doing what you are doing, then perhaps you still haven't found your calling. But you are certain to find immense peace and contentment when what you do is what you love. If you choose a profession that you love, then you will never tire of it. An artist would never tire of creating new art, but if he does, then he may not play it for long in his life. 

Quoting Shakespeare,

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts...

I'd conclude that we all have a wonderful life. A life with purpose. Along our life we discover ourselves through our experiences. Our life's purpose too, is found along the way. When your role that you play (professionally or personally) gives you immense satisfaction and contentment, when you never feel bored of that role, when you feel there is a lot to do, its then that you have reached your purpose. 'You' have discovered yourself. 

That is why, one man in his time plays many parts... but there is one part that defines his life. 

Secret of Happiness

Lord Buddha sought Nirvana under a Banyan tree. He found enlightenment and could free his life of the miseries that life presents us with. But as he had said, "Craving is root cause of all miseries", it seems it holds good even today. If you can free your soul of Cravings, you can surely find the true happiness within. Happiness is not just presence of people, luxuries or other beautiful things around us. It is a feeling of being truly content at heart, soul and mind. If one can feel satisfaction in his life and end his craving for materialistic things, he can truly walk on path of happiness.

This is probably not humanely possible, more so because in today's world money and power reign supreme. They are the top two things that everyone is running after. Ultimately both are supposed to give happiness - Happiness of being rich, richer and richest or Happiness of being powerful, more powerful and most powerful! But in most cases than not, they return misery.
Do you think the richest and most powerful man/ woman on this earth would be the happiest too? "No". The answer is "No".

One Craving leads to another and creates a long chain that just keeps extending along with our life. Though doing what Lord Buddha did is not possible today (leaving his kingdom and family to attain Enlightenment), the least we can try and do is to feel satisfied with what we have, to stop comparing our happiness on the basis of what others possess. This does not mean that we put an end to our ambitions, but means that we do not run a rat race.

Just as happiness is quite a relative feeling, feeling content, satisfied is also relative. To feel this peace within you, seek what gives you satisfaction and contentment. If it can make you feel at peace with yourself and your life, then probably you have attained your own small but significant "Nirvana" or Enlightenment - – a secret to Happiness!