By Design

My message is not entwined in a philosophy. It does not come from a book. It is not a concept or an idea. It is based on one thing: you are alive. And because you are alive, there is a possibility that you can be content. You can have a joy in your life that is unaffected by anything, a joy that is independent of everything.

For some people, betterment means having a better job, being more successful or more productive. For some, betterment means having a better family, a bigger house or bigger car. But think about it: who are we? We are here on this planet Earth for a limited time. We think we will live forever, but that is just an illusion.

The reality is that one day you weren’t. Then you were born. Today, you exist. And one day, you will have to go. It’s a universal rule. Nobody is exempt. It applies to everyone, whether you are poor or rich, educated or not. It doesn’t matter.

Do you know who you are? Somebody calls your name and you say, “Yes, that’s me.” But have you understood that within you there is magic unfolding, and this magic is the reality of your existence? 

Before you were born, everybody wondered, “Boy or girl?” But when you actually came into this world, everybody’s focus was only one: breathing or not? And when you leave this world, everybody will watch for that last thing: breathing or not?

So, what is the big deal about breath? The big deal is: Without it, you are nothing. And with it, you are everything. With it, you can be an uncle, a father or a mother, a son or a daughter; you can be successful or a failure. You can laugh or cry. And without it, you are dust.

As long as there is breath, you’re not dust. With breath, you can say, “Come in! Welcome! Good morning!” Without it? People will say, “Take it away.”

The big deal is: Here is the most incredible blessing, and we don’t pay attention to it. We pay attention to what we consider a blessing: “Give me a child, give me a job, give me this, give me that.” But you are more blessed than you realize. And the day you begin to count your blessings, you will be amazed. That is when you will understand what it really means to be thankful. When the heart is truly full and you begin to understand, confusion vanishes and  clarity comes. You begin to see the simplicity of existence. It’s not about success and failure, but being grateful for this life.

Some people say, “My purpose in life. . .” Not your purpose in life. What is the purpose of you having life? What is this?

This body, due to breath, moves and dances and feels. All day long you’re feeling, feeling, feeling. You feel cold, hot, soft, rough. You are a feeling machine. And everyhuman being longs to feel joy. Since we were little, we wanted to feel that, even before we had a name for it.

The human heart is filled with a joy that you can feel whenever you want to, wherever you are—a joy that you can never have enough of. Do you know that you cannot tolerate sadness very well? You’re not made for it. When you are sad, you want to leave it as soon as possible. Joy—no problem. You would think that would give you a little clue as to what you are about. The clue is: there is no limit to joy, and we are extremely allergic to pain and suffering.

Have you found the source of endless joy? It is not far from you—by design. If you have a longing for joy, it would be pointless to have the source of that joy inaccessible to you. So, in the clever design of this life, the source of joy goes with you wherever you go.

Enjoyment in this life is a possibility. There are no restrictions. Find that infinite source of joy within you.