First and foremost
is good health. If you do not enjoy good health, you can never be happy. Any
ailment, however trivial, will deduct something from your happiness.
Second, a healthy
bank balance. It need not run into crores, but it should be enough to provide
for comforts, and there should be something to spare for recreation— eating
out, going to the movies, travel and holidays in the hills or by the sea.
Shortage of money can be demoralizing. Living on credit or borrowing is
demeaning and lowers one in one’s own eyes.
Third, your own
home. Rented places can never give you the comfort or security of a home that
is yours for keeps. If it has garden space, all the better. Plant your own
trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, and cultivate a sense of kinship
with them.
Fourth, an
understanding companion, be it your spouse or a friend. If you have too many
misunderstandings, it robs you of your peace of mind. It is better to be
divorced than to be quarrelling all the time.
Fifth, stop envying
those who have done better than you in life—risen higher, made more money, or
earned more fame. Envy can be corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others.
Sixth, do not allow
people to descend on you for gup-shup. By the time you get rid of them, you
will feel exhausted and poisoned by their gossip-mongering.
Seventh, cultivate
a hobby or two that will fulfill you—gardening, reading, writing, painting,
playing or listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks, or
to meet celebrities, is a criminal waste of time. It’s important to concentrate
on something that keeps you occupied meaningfully.
Eighth, every
morning and evening devote 15 minutes to introspection. In the mornings, 10
minutes should be spent in keeping the mind absolutely still, and five listing
the things you have to do that day. In the evenings, five minutes should be set
aside to keep the mind still and 10 to go over the tasks you had intended to
do.
Ninth, don’t lose
your temper. Try not to be short-tempered, or vengeful. Even when a friend has
been rude, just move on.
Above all, when the
time comes to go, one should go like a man without any regret or grievance
against anyone. Iqbal said it beautifully in a couplet in Persian: “You ask me
about the signs of a man of faith? When death comes to him, he has a smile on
his lips.”
*
*
*
I don’t fear death.
What I dread is the day I go blind or am incapacitated because of old
age—that’s what I fear—I’d rather die than live in that condition. I’m a burden
enough on my daughter Mala and don’t want to be an extra burden on her.
All that I hope for
is that when death comes to me, it comes swiftly, without much pain, like
fading away in sound slumber. Till then I’ll keep working and living each day
as it comes.
- Khushwant Singh
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