Quote: The Self

“I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.”

~ Marcus Aurelius

What? I am Happy

Something happened yesterday morning, sitting in traffic and lost in thought; I was distracted by a lady walking her daughter to school. They were both lost in the moment, smiling blissfully as they recited some rhyme.

A few paces later they encountered a group of sulky men trekking to work in the opposite direction towards industrial area. Thereupon the lady immediately froze and became indifferent (probably out of some sense of guilt) as the little girl, oblivious to the encounter, continued reciting her rhyme cheerfully.

This brief encounter got me wondering…should we be ashamed of being happy just because those around us are unhappy?