Happiness comes after survival!

We all have a vague idea about ‘loneliness’. It’s the feeling of being alone. But there’s a deeper meaning to it. I feel that you’re lonely when you’re dependent on something or somebody and at a later time, you face the undeniable truth of separation.

Basically, this dependency can be based on two things: One- your survival and two- your happiness. If you’re not a self-dependent for your survival (i.e. food, education and other basic needs), you’ll be lonely without the person meeting these needs.

Similarly, when you link your happiness with someone or something else other than yourself, the fear of losing makes you anxious and eventually lonely when that truly happens.

People admire persons who are happy with themselves. For example- if you have no money, people won’t come to you asking for money. Similarly, if you have no happiness within yourself, people will keep a safe distance from you. Because they know that they will receive no happiness from you. That’s why; finding joy from within is indispensable.

If you’re happy with yourself, nothing of the outside world can affect you. No abuse, criticism, hatred, jealousy, rudeness, deceit etc. can bring you down. If you continue doing so, you’ll adapt to this one day.

We just have to keep in mind to never compromise our survival by depending on anyone or anything for it. Survival is the key to happiness. First, you need to survive and only then you can think of being happy. You can easily understand this when you look at a beggar in a street begging for survival.

(Toukir Ahmed Chowdhury is currently studying Mechanical Engineering at the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology)