Dear Paulo;
I am writing in the youth magazine Genç Gelisin which is published monthly in Turkey.
I am writing about great people and their steps, rules, recipes, principles they practiced in their life. For example “Mahatma Gandhi and 7 Deadly Sins”.
I want to know, what are basic (important) principles for you (and that you advise to others) to live happy life and die with a smile in your eyes.
I want to write an article in this magazine about your life, but especially about your (according to you) secrets of happiness.
I will be very glad to hear from you.
Thank you.
There is not a secret for happiness, which for me is actually a very abstract notion. I think that what truly matters is one’s commitment to life, to one’s beliefs, to what one consider essential.
Those who believe that in order to understand the world one has to be outside of it are falling in a trap. To be able to experience life is to be able to be in the center of its turmoil.
For those that would like further insights on this, I suggest the movie “Revolutionary Road”.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
C'est ineteressant de regarder en arriere, parfois, je ne me souviens pas que c'est moi qui ai ecrit cela.
restez en dehors du monde n’est pas la solution, il faut rentrer dans le cercle et participer meme quand la tempete s’annonce.
quant au film “revolutionary road” la route revolutionnaire.. un carrefour avec des decisions a prendre
Je viens de lire “Mohamat Gandhi and the seven deadly sins”. Le focus employe par ce genre de personne a quand meme un prix je pense a Ang San suu kyi par exemple, ou son mari n’a meme pas ete autorise a entrer a Burma en depit d’un cancer. Quel courage et quelle responsabilite cela entraine. Il faut que quelqu’un le fasse tout de meme sinon rien ne change.Il faut continuer a croire et engager le combat.
Love
Dear Sefer JAN, I have just watched the trailer. It seems a very interesting story. Another Romeo and Juliet. Love does not have any boundaries. I remember I had a teacher at the Elementary School and she had never been married. I heard afterwards that she had been in love with a Turk-Cypriot and her parents did not allow her to marry him .. Then the Constitution}{Sybtagma] given to us in 1960 was prohibiting the marriage between Greeks and Turks!! Do you believe that? The ‘system’ wanted to create more toubles and divide us. My grand-father from my mother’s side had a ship in Kyrenia and he used to go to Turkey. Then he had a flour- mill and a macaroni-factory and my mother remembers that the workers were from both communities. All working together in peace Then the Devil interfered and the clouds of war came. My best wishes to you and for your studies and to your article about our .. Paulo Coelho.
LOVE,
Thelma
lA BASE POUR VIVRE HEUREUX
Practice makes perfect.
Dear Thelma, I also believe that differences were put in our world by political and regional borders, systems. We all are human beings, and the only thing unites us is love, and this means that heart does not accept borders.
There is a new Turkish film “Autumn Pain” about things that happened in Cyprus, 1955. A Turkish guy Behçet is in love with Greek girl Elena. In that famous September, their destiny puts them in same side on the land of love, and different sides on the land of their nations. What will they choose? It is not in cinemas yet, but I think that they choose love ;-)
Here is a trailer url: http://www.sinema.com/fragman/671/guz-sancisi
Love and be loved ;-)
In my opinion, it is ever the choice I make and, thus, it becomes the quality of the energy with which I apply myself to the act of living life.
“Joy”, “happiness”, “contentment”, and, likewise, “depression”, “disappointment”, “sorrow”, whatever, are qualities that I find in my perception of the moment and, as a consequence, a product of my own creation.
Someone said that there is difficulty in life but suffering is a choice.
There is no innate ‘goodness’ or ‘badness’ in a sunrise, only in how I regard that event. It is much more efficacious, therefore, to impart to that event ‘good’ things and project that amongst people with which I share the moment.
I find, thought, that there are specific understandings that innately foster specific kinds of ‘feelings’ or ‘responses’. For example, in my moments of ‘quiet mind’ I seem to sense that the fabric of existence which connects us all together in the moment is, in fact, ‘love’, and my resulting actions from that understanding are, of course, loving.
So the quality of the energy i choose to apply in the moment to whatever is going on then and there is a choice I make, as co-creator of that moment as it were, and I think it makes us all much ‘happier’ and ‘mutually contented when I choose to act joyfully, lovingly, , with peace, etc., etc., despite the rock I may find in my shoe painfully rubbing a sore into existence… Ah, well, so I remeove the shoe, the rock, and am back to the next thing at hand…
You have to find what makes you tick, what brings you pleasure, re-invent yourself,do the best that you can with the tools that you have and persist with it, sprinkle it with a sense of humur to bring you balance.
“To be or not to be”.
To be = life
Life = moments
Moments = exercise for heart
Exercise for heart = more receptive soul
More receptive soul = feels when hapiness comes around
Happy moments = life
Life = to be.
Choose “to be” version and live everything life gives you, good or bad. All moments have their role in your hapiness.
:)
Your answer just perfect,an wise mans answer.I always thought why nuns and monks live in monasteries,saying they need peace.The challenge is living among people,as they are.I agree happiness is an abstract term.In my live I had moments of real great happiness,moments,that rest short time.Most is tranquility,or even grief.But if we say happiness might be of more degrees,in a scale,I say we have each day one moment of happiness.Depends on our sensitivity,our expectations.
If I can be of assistance, I am back in town. :D
It is not important what we expect, but what we get. As I understand you have no proper “formula of happiness” but you live the way you get it.
In your answer I understand that life itself is an arena of being happy. Some stay passive and wait for the star to follow, some challenge and lit this star in their hearts. In short – happiness is in life, it is to live your life as your heart whispers.
I think you should take my interview rather than Paulo’s– (Just kidding !)
Here are some steps that could follow-
http://www.kalwar.com.np/2008/12/7-things-to-do-to-be-happy.html
en français :
LE SECRET DU BONHEUR : faire plaisir et se faire plaisir , se rejouir des petits bonheurs quotidiens et prendre de chaque leçon de la vie , et aimer …et rester ouvert pour soi et pour les autres
je poste ici mon commentaire préparé sur ” keeping open to Love ” , et mon bonheur c’est de voir le sourire sur les visages des enfants , des hommes , des pauvres , des riches , des valides , des invalides ..
se garder ouvert à l’amour …at au don d’amour sans attendre en retour …ET AINSI VOUS DONNEZ ” L’éNERGIE DE L4AMOUR DONT ON A TANT BESOIN” tous autant que nous sommes ( et même moi ) car on ne peut vivre sans amour , on ne peut vivre sans l’énergie de l’amour
alors même si c’est difficle ( oui parfois c’est plus facile à dire qu’à faire , TK , mais il FAUT le faire , être ouvert apporte bien plus à nous et aux autres …)
un témoignage :
Eric , un jeune patient , tumeur au cerveau , en fin de vie … sous morphine tellement la douleur est grande …je viens le voir , je rentre dans la pièce et innonde sa chambre de mon plus large sourire , je lis à sa demande “le livre des anges ” qu’on lui a offert et qu’il apprécie et aussi je lis pour lui un livre que j’ai apporté …des phrases humoristiques , des histoires qui le font sourire et le font rire ( et je sais que sur son lit quand je serai partie , il repensera à tout cela et qu’il en sourira encore ) ..voilà , l’énergie de l’amour , nous pouvons tous la donner et cela fait tellement de bien …et moi quand je sors de la chambre d’Eric , je pleure dans ma voiture de l’émotion partagée avec lui , puis ensuite , je souris de l’amour partagé et de nos rires qui résonnent encore dans ma tête …
je raconte aussi la fin , elle vous donnera aussi à réfléchir que si on ferme sa fleur , on la ferme aussi pour d’autres ( sans jugement , car parfois tenir sa fleur ouverte est très difficile , et je sais de quoi je parle : ayant moi même vécu le cancer à la maison et la souffrance morale de ne pouvoir aider plus mon mari qui souffrait , mais qui souffrait bien plus “mentalement” que physiquement ) . Donc je termine l’histoire d’Eric : un jour , je vais le voir , réjouie de nos rencontres , et il me dis ” tu sais , je veux mourir ” ” mais tu te bats si bien ” lui dis – je , et même les médecins qui avaient prévu sa mort imminente devaient constater qu’Eric , après des mois , était toujours vivant !!!! Il me dit “oui ce n’est pas la souffrance , j’ai la morphine , même si c’est dur ; mais c’est ce qu’il y a dans le regard de ma mère = elle souffre tant de me voir souffrir , et c’est cela qui me fait plus souffrir que la maladie , alors je veux mourir ” / la fleur qui est en elle se ferme et elle perd l’énergie de l’amour ……je n’ai pas eu le temps de donner à sa maman suffisamment d’énergie de l’amour afin qu’elle puisse en avoir en elle pour son fils …..une semaine plus tard , Eric est mort car il le voulait ..il a décider de ne plus se battre ..
une leçon :
l’énergie de l’amour qu’il avait en lui le faisait vivre , l’énergie perdue en sa mère la fait mourir …mais la souffrance morale est tellemment grande parfois ( et je la connais , je l’ai vécue pendant 4 longues années !! mon Dieu , c’est long !! )qu’il est difficile de tenir la fleur ouverte …
mais je suis convaincu , comme le dit Paulo Coelho , que la seule manière de résister est de vous ouvrir …
Même dans les moments les plus difficile ( comme ces 4 ans de souffrance morale ) j’allais près de mes patients avec le sourire pour eux et aussi pour les conjoints et leurs enfants …et si la force n’est pas ou plus en vous , demander l’amour dont vous avez besoin pour vous , et aussi por transmettre aux autres plus tard ..
L’AMOUR EST PLUS FORT QUE TOUT , l’amour permet de vivre et aussi de survivre ……et je n’oublie jamais ,dès que je peux , “je t’aime ” à mon fils PAul , et de dire “je t’aime” à mes parents , et de dire à mes patients combien je compte sur eux et qu’ils peuvent …et je parle à l’homme qui vit dehors dans le froid , abandonné de tous , et je souris à celui qui passe et qui porte sa peine sur son visage , et je dis des mots gentils à mes amis et connaissances dès que je les vois ..etc..etc..car je connais “LE POUVOIR DE L’AMOUR ” et comme une douce vague , je sais qu’elle peut aller loin et baigner tant de gens qui en ont besoin , et qui pourront à leur tour se relever et …AIMER !
MERCI , Eric et autres , qui avaient partagé avec moi l’amour pour l’autre ( : “un don d’amour sans attendre en retour” = le créateur de la Véritable Energie de l’amour )
aujourd’hui la souffrance ET les bonheurs quotidiens ont fait ce que je suis : une femme qui se régale de donner et encore et encore : PARTAGER ET AIMER
A VOUS TOUS , A VOUS TOUS , UN CRI D’AMOUR D’UNE FILLE TOUTE SIMPLE : ” JE VOUS AIME ” ET C’EST POURQUOI JE SUIS Là , sur le blog de Paulo Coelho
THE SECRET OF the HAPPINESS: please and please, re-enjoy small daily happiness and set of every lesson of the life, (love and remain opened for one and for the others
I post here my comment prepared on ” keeping open to Coil “, and my happiness it is to see the smile on the faces of the children, men(people), poor men, rich, valid, disabled persons..
Beware opened to the love at in the gift(donation) of love without waiting in return… AND SO YOU GIVE ” THE energy OF THE LOVE” NEED OF WHICH WE HAVE SO MUCH ” all as much as us are (and even I) because we cannot live without love, we cannot live without the energy of the love then even if it is difficle (yes sometimes it is easier to say than to make, TK, but it IS NECESSARY to make it, to be opened brings much more to us and to the others)
A testimony:
Eric, a young patient, tumor in the brain, at the end of life under morphine so the pain is big I come to see him, I go into the bedroom and innonde his bedroom of my widest smile, I read to his demand ” the book of the angels ” that we offered to him and that he appreciates and also I read for him a book that I brought funny sentences, stories which make himit smile and make him laugh( And I know that on his bed when I shall have left, he will think again about all this and when he will still smile there) Here we are, the energy of the love, we can all give it and it makes so good and I when I go out of Eric’s bedroom, I cry in my car of the emotion shared with him, and then, I smile of the shared love and our laughter which still resound in my head…
I also tell the end, it will also give you to reflect that if we close its flower, we also close it for the others (without judgment, because sometimes hold its opened flower is very difficult, and I know about what I speak: I having even lived the cancer at the house and the moral suffering not to be able to help any more my husband who suffered, but who suffered more “mentally” than physically).Thus I end Eric’s story: one day, I am going to see him, delighted by our meetings, and he say to me ” you know, I want to die ” ” but you fight so well ” i say to him , and even the doctors who had foreseen(planned) his imminent death had to notice that Eric, after months, was always alive!!!! He says to me ” yes it is not the suffering, I have the morphine, even if it is hard; but it is what there is in the glance of my mother = She suffers so much to see me suffering, and it is it which more makes me suffer than the disease, then I want to die ” / the flower which is in her close and it loses the energy of the love …… I had no time to give to his mom enough energy of the love so that she can have it in her for her son …one week later, Eric died because he wanted it …he has to decide not to fight any more..
A lesson:
The energy of the love which he had in him made him live, the energy lost in his mother makes his die …but the moral suffering is tellemment big sometimes (and I know it, I lived it during 4 long years!! My God, it is long!!) that it is difficult to hold the opened flower…
But I am convinced, as says it Paulo Coelho, as the only way of resisting is to open you…
Even in the moments the most difficult (as these 4 years of moral suffering) I went near my patients with the smile for them and also for the spouses and their children and if the strength is not or more in you, to ask for the love which you need for you, and also por to pass on in the others later..
THE AMUR IS STRONGER THAN EVERYTHING, the love allows to live and also to survive …… and I never forget, as soon as I can, ” I love you ” to my son Paul, and to say ” I love you ” to my parents, and to say to my patients how much I count on them and as soon as they can and I speak to the man who lives outside in the cold, abandoned by all, and I smile to the one who passes and who concerns his punishment(pain) on the face,And I say words kind to my friends and knowledge as soon as I see them etc. etc. because I know ” THE POWER OF THE AMUR ” and as a sweet wave, I know that she can go far and bathe so many people who need it, and who can get up in turn and… LOVE!
THANK YOU, Eric and the others, who had shared with me the love for the other one (: ” a gift of love without waiting in return ” = the creator of the Real Energy of the love)
Today the suffering AND the daily happiness made what I am: a woman who feasts to look and again and again: SHARE AND LIKE LOVE
************* To YOU ALL, to YOU ALL, ************ A SHOUT OF the AMUR OF A QUITE SIMPLE GIRL: ” I LOVE YOU ” AND THAT IS WHY I AM There in PAulo coelho’s blog
Dear friend Sefer Jan, I have read Orchan Pamouk’s book ‘Istamboul’ and I liked it very much. Me, being of the same generation, I found many similarities of middle-class people of that …ancient era! For me the World is the Home for all human beings. The different masks that divide people have been created by the System and I am happy that Paulo Coelho has gathered us under his .. wings to talk about the eternal truths and Light.
As for your question I think that the only thing that makes everybody happy is to love and feel that we are loved, because our nature and natural home is LOVE.
LOVE,
Thelma