24 June 2014 - QA 6

You have said that there are two ways of looking at life. One is, 'I’ll be happy if I achieve this certain objective'. The other is by saying, 'I am happy, come what may'. Which is the better of the two?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:

Obviously the latter in which you find happiness within yourself. You see that your happiness is unconditional.
One is a taker and the other is a giver.

As children when we took things we were happy. But as grandparents, we feel happy when we give. This is a mature joy.
Like the grandmother at home, when she makes different dishes and serves everybody, she feels a sense of happiness.
So, there is a joy in giving which is much more mature than the joy in taking, or in grabbing. Somewhere we need to graduate from taking to giving.
Finding that we are the source of happiness, and come what may I’ll be happy and I’ll spread happiness around me, is what I call as wisdom.