The stress I was experiencing seemed quite huge this time, and I felt the need for a break. While driving, I started having more negative thoughts about the future, life, and all that surrounds me. I tried looking into all the details that encircle my life every day, but as a result the pessimistic thoughts kept on growing. I realized that I was depressed, but this time it was not receding and was taking so long that I couldn’t lift my face up to anything cheerful. I hardly smiled to anyone and couldn’t provide anyone with anything they needed or deserved—even if it was a simple smile.

On my way I decided to take a detour which is a bit off-road from the regular route that I usually take. I stopped by a small coffee shop that seemed very small, poor in style, and extremely old in structure. They served nothing but bread and tea, so I asked for tea. As I was sitting down on that old, dusty chair and placing my cup of tea on a fractured, aged desk, my glumness reached the rim, and I had no more space for my own brains; it felt like a flood or volcanic eruption out of my head! Suddenly a very poor man sat by my side. He pulled his almost empty pockets and got out a few coins, then started counting his money on that ugly desk. He asked for tea and a piece of bread. He then introduced himself to me as Doctor Food!

I was very surprised by the humor of this man, who couldn’t even afford to buy himself a proper meal. I thought he was crazy.

We then had a short conversation in which he explained to me that he inherited his name from his great grandfather, who lived and died in search of food! He started bursting into laughter as he said, “That’s what people think life is all about; they never have enough and then they die.” He then got up, picked up his bread, gestured, and walked away. To my surprise, the man left too much money on the table and didn’t drink his tea, so I called him back to pick up his stuff, but the man said, “That’s a present for your kindness, mister. I have to give in order to get back what I wish for.”

Eagerly, I asked him, “What do you wish for?”

He looked at me with a bright, relaxed, wrinkled, dusty face and said, “I always wish to stay happy and die with a smile.”

Usually I don’t believe in signs, but why did I visit this weird place? I never had a good answer for that!

This man hardly got himself a meal each day, left me some money and a cup of tea with a smile on his stress-free face—dusty, but happy? How did he acquire this relaxed, guilt-free soul, and a very strong belief in giving in order to take, while he had nothing? Why am I so pessimistic about my life, then?

It was then that I realized that when we never look, we go blind; we tend to take more than we need, want more then we have, and automatically live hungry for more; thus we are never happy. In general: greed controls our minds.

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” –the Dalai Lama

Why don’t we look at it from a different angle? We should always remember that out there in this world there is always something worse, and we should be thankful and strong.

Strength is our base foundation. Faith keeps us rolling. No one ever said that life is heaven, and no one should relate hell to life!

Did we try to focus on the good side and forget the bad; do we force a smile each day to support our soul or do we implement stress inside our heart, body, and mind?

That day I realized the true meaning of happiness: being free from guilt, trouble, hate, envy, anger, stress, hurt, jealousy, and sadness … a long list, for sure. I could write a whole new book just mentioning some of the feelings we experience throughout our lives! Is this what we are after? Did we realize there is no prize for that but ruining our own lives?

It’s simple: be happy and force it inside your heart.

Let us use the good side of greed to force happiness into our souls.

Just set your goals, and the rest will follow!