A Little Book of Happiness

Little book of Happiness contains pearls of wisdom on happiness by stalwarts of literature and the man himself – Ruskin Bond. I always look forward to the introduction in Ruskin Bond’s books as it is peppered with a generous dose of humour. The book starts with a humorous note with the author comparing happiness to a girl who accompanied a boy to a local bookstore.

Happiness can be induced in simple ways. A simple straw can also be the source of laughter when it produces a tickling effect. For Mr. Bond, happiness is watching nature’s play, observing its subtle intricacies. He comes to a conclusion that watching a small creature in the lap of nature instills a hope that there is more to life than technology, interests, and markets. His happiness also lies in watching a plant germinate to life. In one of the passages, he has expressed joy whilst watching the city lights of his hometown, Dehradun or as he affectionately calls it Dehra. I love the way he described nature in simple yet aesthetic way.

But there are others who have different notions on happiness.J.M. Barries concurs that a baby’s laughter is the source of happiness and origin of fairies while the great Pablo Narula observes that Laughter is the language of the soul. E. M. Forster’s famous lines ‘Happiness is elusive like a butterfly…’ also finds a place in this collection. The philosopher Epicurus links happiness to having friends.

Here are some quotes that struck a chord with me

Do not chirp too much about your happiness, and do not whine too much about your unhappiness.

If a tortoise could run,
And losses be won,
And bullies be buttered on toast;
If a song brought a shower,
And a gun grew a flower,
This world would be better than most.

The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.

The book is written in the form of simple journal entries and a notes section to jot our own thoughts. This one is a concise guide meant for readers of all age groups to cherish its teachings. Some sayings stood the test of time while some got lost in the fast paced life. My key takeaway from the book is that happiness is synonymous to resilience and patience.