The Wise of Happiness / A Wisdom Story on Happiness
The story of an old sage who once lived in Anatolia is told. As the wise man saw how unhappy the people around him were in their lives, he took it upon himself and devoted his life to helping these people. For this reason, he was called the Sage of Happiness.
Rumor has it that whoever was unhappy where he lived, went to this wise man and asked him to help him. The methods used by the old sage were so effective and legendary that those who went to him were said to have found the happiness and peace they were looking for in their own lives. The wise listens to each person patiently and then tells him the method he developed specially for him and asks them to apply it.
The old sage had an extraordinary ability to see what unhappy people really need. According to him, there is nothing missing for happiness. In fact, the problem was that there was too much of everything. The method used by the sage was very simple. Tell people that they actually have enough of everything for happiness; but to prove that they somehow couldn't see it.
According to a story told, an extraordinary solution is mentioned that he proposed to a wealthy woman who asked him for help. Disturbed by what she saw around her, this woman applied to the wise man long after she fell into the grip of a deep unhappiness. He couldn't stand what he saw.
The old sage asked this woman to live with her eyes closed for a week. During this time, he advised her not to open her eyes in any way and not to seek help from anyone else. He blindfolded her and sealed her ties, and sent her away. He advised him to come back a week later.
In the intervening time, many more people came before the sage…
One of them was a merchant who lost all his wealth. He hit the bottom so much that they brought him before the wise man when he was about to commit suicide. The wise man advised this person to stay for ten days in a nursing home with insane patients. His family desperately accepted this offer and immediately put the poor man to the place where they were told.
Another person the sage helped was a young girl. This girl was so ugly that she could not get rid of her depression because she thought that no man would want her. The girl's family, fearing for her life, brought her before the old sage as a last resort. The solution that the wise man found for this girl, who is not as ugly as it is said, and whose heart shines with love, was again very different. He persuaded the girl's family to work for a month as a helper for a young man whose eyes could not see, but who was handsome in the world.
Wise was such a respected person that everyone followed his advice unconditionally.
In time, news about the fate of these people who came to the wise began to be heard by the people.
When the blindfolded woman came out a week later, she piled gifts in front of the old sage. She was so happy that she thanked him by falling on her knees. During this week, the woman realized that what she didn't want to see was not so important compared to what she wanted to see. Her eyes were shining with happiness. He finally understood the value of seeing, of being able to really see.
As for the merchant, it is learned from the people that he realizes the value of being mindful at the end of ten days. He said that his greatest assets were his knowledge, intelligence and experience. If he wanted, he would make his fortune again. When he stopped by for the last time to thank the old sage, he explained that he would start his business again...
As for the young girl… People have heard that the handsome young man has declared his love for the girl and they will get married soon. The girl's family visited the old sage and invited her to their wedding.
People have never been absent from the door of the old sage for years. Until, the wise man of happiness, he passed away happily.
Tayfun Topaloğlu (2019) Motivational Genius, Cinius Publications, Istanbul
