Life is what you make of it. I think this is why people who say that it is hard and who say that it is simple are both correct. It’s not that there aren’t easier times for the former and hard times for the latter but I think it depends on where your focus is more.

It amazes me so much that the same life can be viewed by different lenses and different conclusions can be arrived upon based on the different perceptions that people have.

Yesterday, I came across a story that seem to have originated from Brazil but references of it have been found in many other cultures as well. This story truly made me realize that sometimes, we may already have what we are looking for and not even realize it.

More precisely, it was about happiness. Sometimes, in an endless pursuit of happiness, we don’t even realize that we may already have it. Let me first tell you the story real quick.

The Fisherman and The Wealthy Businessman

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Once, a fisherman was resting near a sea shore, under a tree. There was a rich businessman nearby who was on holiday and was taking a stroll on the beach.

Coming across the fisherman, the businessman became puzzled as other fishermen were working and this one was simply laying down under the tree. The businessman asked him, “Why are you not working like those other fishermen?”

To that the fisherman replied, “I have caught enough fish for the day”. The businessman got infuriated as if he had said something stupid and asked, “What do you do with the rest of your time?”

The fisherman said, “Well, I spend time having fun with my wife and children. I take naps. I also spend time hanging out with my friends in the evening in the village, sipping wine and enjoying music all around. At night, I take a walk with my wife along the beach and have a really peaceful and happy time.”

The businessman, seemingly unconvinced, quickly shot back, “Look, I am a rich businessman and I know how business is done and let me tell you, you ain’t doing it right. You are wasting so much of your time which you could easily use catching more fish.”

The fisherman stood up and asked, “What would I do with more fish?” The businessman said, “If you have more fish, you’ll make more money and then you could buy a bigger boat and catch even more fish and make more money. Slowly over time, you could build a company out of this and then sell it for millions.”

The fisherman then asked, “But wouldn’t that take a lot of time?” The businessman answered, “Yes, it could easily take 20 years but then you will be as rich as me!” The fisherman asked, “Then what?”

The businessman said, “Once you are rich, you will be able to wake up when you want, play with your children, spend time with your family whenever you want, hangout with friends and enjoy life peacefully.”

The fisherman smirked and said, “Isn’t that what I am already doing now?”

Moral of the Story

These days, the number one goal in many people’s lives is making money. This is because, people perceive this to be the pursuit of happiness. Having enough money is thought to be liberating and something that brings security and peace to life.

While that may be true, there is also a point to be made that many people can spend their whole life chasing money and still get nowhere. Also, even if you get there, it could be too late as your prime of life would be over by then.

The moral of the story is interpreted differently by different people. Some would tell you to be happy with what you have. Some would say to enjoy the present and not worry too much about the future. I personally learned that you shouldn’t chase happiness when you already have it.

Anyways, I thought the story was really meaningful and so I decided to share it with you all. Please do tell what you make of the story and its moral.