Paulo Coelho

A few months back, I was travelling by an auto rickshaw. I was working on my laptop to use the travel time. Then after some time, I thought of entertaining the driver and started playing songs for him. Then I thought of playing a very popular song that always had a cathartic effect on me. This song had a story…it was filmed on a person who loses everything despite being gentle, honest and straight in all his dealings. I played the song. I could see the effect on the driver. He started humming along. I started singing aloud with the same emotion with the driver and I could see the camaraderie emerging in his eyes. But within a few moments everything went off. I could see the swift change of attitude in his face and a strictness in his body. He said, “The song is good and I like it. But why are you singing? Please do not sing.” I was surprised with this directness. All my enthusiasm of sharing his feelings was gone. I could not react to what he said. I could see his sense behind: “Why are you unhappy? This song is not supposed to be enjoyed by you people. You are not authentically unhappy.”

Finally I could sense many more fundamental questions coming in my way: Am I happy? Why am I not happy?

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