That Smile

Amidst all the outcry , outflow of angst and seething discontent, as well as the outpouring of grief which the untenable bizarre state of the calamitous pandemic has led to , I intend to write this post on an altogether different issue which was albeit prompted by the recent sad demise of a dear school friend's father . The news of his death was posted on our friends' WhatsApp group with his photograph which showed a genuine bright radiating smile on his face ...the smile did not appear as a pose for a photo or photoshopped ...I am confident about it as I have had several opportunities to meet him and everytime I did what struck me was the smile that he flashed ...and that smile was a permanent feature of his face clearly indicative of his inner Happy state ...a rare commodity in present times. I was reminded of my mother who likewise always seemed to be cheerful which sometimes made me wonder and marvel at her... Then my mother-in-law with whom I had the good fortune to live since the time I got married for 13 years till her passing away was of the same joygul temperament! A very close friend of mine mentioned the same thing about her aged mother and others in that age group who she reiterated were always joyous !! This was a commonality generally found in majority of our peer group , irrespective of their social strata or personal lives and losses. What is this secret ??!!! I think we have a lot to learn from that alas- fast-dwindling generation of our venerated parents and elders. What was it that these people enjoyed and savoured what we today are not being able to ,given all the necessary luxuries that we have ,by God's grace, access to ! What was it that kept them in a happy peaceful state always which was reflected not only through their smiles but their demeanor too . They belong to a generation which witnessed the frenetic pace of technological developments , though many could not keep pace with all the new innovative gadgets and machinery...they are /were witness to a transformational social fabric where relations , family setups , values and morals were in a muddled state of flux. They were undeterred by all this, endeavouring to understand and flow with the times as far as possible realising that change was a constant phenomena .Not that all of them were not nonplussed or readily accepted the change or acclimatised themselves to it easily ...and arguably so they had their own rigid notions ,dogmatic beliefs and were highly opinionated ...they were not saints unaffected by the metamorphosis all around them ...even then what I wish to emphasise here is that they were much more calm , less agitated, less flustered , strong-willed , God-loving , joyful and contented souls. And it's not just the rich and affluent who were the contented lot ....their species spread to all classes . Their's was a generation which saw the germination and blossoming of large families ....having 10 or more siblings was common ...and there were joint families also living together in perfect bonhomie , camaraderie and peace despite the limited resources and different perspectives. They found joy in the simple pleasures life had to offer .Today we may not know our immediate neighbours or seldom interact with them but theirs was the time when their own large families, siblings and their extended families , families of all relatives including all the in-laws' families so much so that neighbours, friends were all living in a homogenous group keenly and genuinely interested in each others s' well - being , solicitous and empathetic towards all who were known to them . They had large hearts with enough space to embrace all who wished to be associated with them. My personal opinion is that it was their accommodating, unselfish, uncomplicated or let's say less complicated, commiserate selves that was the secret to their inner happiness . What is noteworthy is their happiness in others' achievements...they had near and dear ones with whom they could share their own happiness ...and likewise were genuinely interested and overjoyed in others ' growth ! Jealousy ,rivalry , cut- throat competition did not form a part of their persona . And most importantly that Big bloated all-encompassing Ego did not overrule their minds and beings...those were the days and those were these people ... This brings the feeling of fulfilment and ultimately leads to inner peace ,and a tranquil state .It is this joy that denotes their sense of perpetual gratitude towards The Creator ....and I feel That's the secret behind the enduring beatific , buoyant smiles on their faces !!