Relationships

The other day I came across a very interesting study on what are the factor that make a human being perceive that they are happy. Of course, what we perceive about ourselves and our lives is what makes it true for us, and one person's perception of what is great or not so great, might be different from another, but broad similarity in human behaviour can be there. The results od this study are surprising, and makes me think that human priorities have changed, but not as much has we perceived, especially what is shown in the media. This study says that out of the total number of people interviewed , only 44 percent of them said their faith and religious commitment brings them happiness. Not surprisingly, 85 percent said having enough money to make their life comfortable makes them happy,88 percent said enjoying social life or recreation makes them happy, and a surprising 89 percent said they feel happy if they are fulfilled in their studies or work. 91 percent attributed happiness to a good relationship with their friends, and 92 percent attributed it to a good relationship with their family. 94 percent, stated the obvious, that being contributes towards a feeling of happiness. 

The pleasant surprise for us is that people still rate happiness in their relationships much higher than money or work or even religious belief. In the age of mounting materialism and religious zealots, the need for connection, and a happy one, between human beings, remains one of the primary needs  for each of us. And what are relationships? only the sharing of feelings and experiences, and acceptance by one person of another as he or she is. We need the support of others to go on in this world, and the love and support of our friends and family mean so much that it can help us get out of any problem, any setback. Therefore, nobody should discount the effect he or she has on the people around them, and try to make those people around them happy and to help them. If human beings think of themselves as a bigger whole, each sustained by the other, we can try make  others happy, and become happier ourselves as a result. Of course it cannot match the glee you feel by vanquishing other, putting them down or feeling yourselves superior to them, but this is in the end, an empty feeling. It is fleeting success, which makes us get into an interminable race which does not have an end apart from death. So its better and more fulfilling to choose life over death, happiness and acceptance, co existence, over fighting and competition. You cannot take my fate from me and I cannot take yours from you, so it is better to support each other along our respective life paths.