Toy Truck

When I was young I was very playful and I was fascinated with machines, especially airplanes and moving vehicles. I wish to have toy cars and planes to play with. On hindsight, if I did own a toy car during my childhood, I believe my happiness can be greater than owning an actual car today.

I remembered the very first toy truck that was given to me by my teacher. Actually, my teacher gave me a few rupees to buy food from the market but I did not eat anything. I added a few more rupees from my savings I managed to buy a toy truck. To me, it seemed like a real truck but it is simply a toy without engine and I had to tie a string to it in order to pull it. I would put some stones and sand onto the toy truck and several kids would follow me everywhere I went with the truck. During my studies, I simply recited the text loudly only so that my teacher would believe that I am indeed studying but in actual truth, I am thinking of how to play with the toy, where to play and with whom I should play with etc!

During those days, I was so happy and my friend kids also shared the joy I have. That kind of joy doesn’t need abundance of wealth and in fact, wealth and money is not the actual cause of such happiness. You only need the simplicity of a child to order to be happy. If you want to be free from stress, simply recall your childhood’s way of life. That doesn’t mean you should think and act like a child. Rather, learn from the child-like simplicity.

Most of our problems can be a passage toward success by overcoming them and therefore, we should not be emotionally tied up to them. Today, it seems many of us are not happy due to constant thinking about problems and yet not readily moving towards the solutions. This results in making the problem appearing more serious and we develop fear and insecurity. If we just view the problem as a technical matter that needs to be fixed using our wisdom and effort, then it may not bother our minds as much. For example when I am ill, I take it as my physical balancing system is out of order and it needs to be fixed. So I promptly see the best doctor available and take the prescribed medicine regularly without thinking ‘how come I fall sick’ and ‘will I die’ or ‘will some one will look down upon me’ or ‘I will be less capable than others’ or ‘will this treatment use up all my savings and make me poorer’ etc. This kind of emotional thoughts makes the matter worse and eventually both the physical and mental systems fall ill and become imbalanced. So really there is no benefit of thinking in such ways. Problems are meant to be fixed. If it can be fixed or otherwise, just take it as part of our path. Even the death route that we all have to take is a path. This eventual death cannot be fixed at last the stage of our lives. But preparation to make death and rebirth more meaningful is a wise act and that gives us more satisfaction of life rather than constant reiteration of what may happen after death or how much suffering death can be.  

Life is not just meant to earn more money or catch up with materially successful people.  Rather, life should be lived meaningfully without strong influence from material wealth. It is our way of thinking that makes our lives different. Simplicity with a compassionate heart is essential for a meaningful life and that is also the source of happiness for oneself and for others.

I wish everyone can develop such qualities of life and with that we practice Dharma to attain enlightenment for all sentient beings.

Both photo of these flowers are taken during Yolmo visit recently.