Unlocking the secret of happiness

Three good fairies gathered to bestow special gifts on the newborn. If I had such powers, I’m not sure which gift I’d choose to give. Ideally, I wish I could present everyone with a set of skills to cope with “life, love and the whole damn thing”.
How to decide the order of importance in which I’d place such talents? Well, the ability to adapt, grow and accept the changes that life inevitably brings would definitely be foremost. Coincidentally, the name Aurora means dawn – most appropriate because at the dawn of the new year, I wish to record a little fable demonstrating the importance of personal growth.
A man visited his doctor, stating, “My eyes are bulging, I feel I’m choking and my tongue protrudes constantly.” Upon examination, the doctor suggested that the removal of his tonsils should alleviate the dreadful symptoms. Having recovered from the surgery, the man returned to the doctor immediately, complaining that his problems persisted.
Puzzled, the doctor examined him further and pronounced the problem was at the back of his eyes. Surgery would rectify it, the man was assured. Unfortunately, the man lost the sight of one eye during the surgery. Angrily revisiting the doctor, he demanded he get to the root of the problem. Thoroughly baffled, the doctor decided that surgery on the neck would surely cure the bulging eyes, choking sensation and protruding tongue. Following the third surgery, the man couldn’t eat a bite. The doctor announced there was nothing more to be done and he was really sorry to break the news that the man had only a few months to live. Devastated, the man immediately decided to sell up and travel the world in the time left to him.
First, he headed off to buy new clothes for the trip. Laden down with his purchases, he finally went to select some shirts. The assistant glanced at him professionally and produced several size 16 shirts to choose from. “Oh, no, I wear size 15,” protested the man. Shrugging, the assistant produced a tape measure, which, sure enough, showed 16 to be the correct size. But the man, extremely annoyed, continued to insist that he had always worn size 15 and had no intention of changing to 16.
“Suit yourself,” responded the assistant, “but I’m warning you – your eyes will bulge, you’ll feel you’re choking and your tongue will stick out – disgusting!”    
So, who plans to refuse to change or grow in our new dawn of 2010? It is wise to remember that if we always do what we always did, we’ll always get what we always got.
Certainly, we do not need nor did we deserve the catalogue of miseries that have descended unrelentingly upon us. But let’s take The Bard of Avon’s advice,
“Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” (We’ll overlook the fact that “the precious jewel” is actually some kind of opium or other drug – that’s a whole other discussion). 
Contentment is Wealth is the name of a traditional Irish tune. Contentment is a quality much under-valued in our zap-zap, high-pressured world, where the house we live in, the car we drive, the external trappings of wealth and status were so highly prized for much too long. So perhaps, now that we are relieved of the constant striving and chasing, we may achieve a measure of contentment and quit wishing for the moon. The following little fable illustrates the wisdom of being content and not envying others:
Once upon a time, there was a Japanese sculptor who chiselled contentedly away at this massive rock, creating delightful sculptures. One day, the king, with his entourage, passed by. Dazzled by the splendour of his robes, his coach, his horses and attendants, the sculptor’s contentment evaporated, to be instantly replaced by envy. “I want to be king,” he wished. Immediately, his request was granted and he became king. From his plush palace, he surveyed his kingdom with satisfaction. He observed that the hot, mid-day sun had the power to drive his subjects indoors. “I want to be the sun,” he declared and his wish was instantly granted. Beaming and blazing in the sky, he noticed a huge cloud pouring rain down and forcing everyone to seek shelter. The rain made no impression, though, on an enormous rock below. “I want to be that rock,” was his plea. And so, he became that solid rock. And was really happy until one day, a sculptor arrived with a chisel…!     
And so, “The secret of happiness is wanting what you have; not having what you want.”