Once, in a conference, a group of 50 people was attentively
listening to the speaker. Suddenly, the speaker stopped and
decided to do a group activity.
All the people were asked to
stand in a queue. He then started giving each person a balloon
and they were asked to write their names on their respective
balloons using a marker pen.
After this, all the balloons were collected and put inside
another room. Next, they were asked to enter the room full of
balloons to find the balloon with their name written on it
within five minutes.
Everyone frantically started searching for the balloon with their
name, colliding, bumping and crashing into each other, pushing
their way through the crowd, thereby making the atmosphere of
the room utterly chaotic. At the end of five minutes, not even a
single person could find his or her own balloon.
At the end, the speaker did something different. He asked each
person to just pick one balloon, call out that name and give it
to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes,
everyone had their own balloon in their hands.
The speaker reflected on what this exercise meant. This, he
said, is exactly what’s happening in all of our lives. Everyone
is desperately looking around for happiness, but no one knows
where to find it.
Our happiness lies in the happiness of other
people. Give them their happiness, and in return, you will get
your own happiness.
listening to the speaker. Suddenly, the speaker stopped and
decided to do a group activity.
All the people were asked to
stand in a queue. He then started giving each person a balloon
and they were asked to write their names on their respective
balloons using a marker pen.
After this, all the balloons were collected and put inside
another room. Next, they were asked to enter the room full of
balloons to find the balloon with their name written on it
within five minutes.
Everyone frantically started searching for the balloon with their
name, colliding, bumping and crashing into each other, pushing
their way through the crowd, thereby making the atmosphere of
the room utterly chaotic. At the end of five minutes, not even a
single person could find his or her own balloon.
At the end, the speaker did something different. He asked each
person to just pick one balloon, call out that name and give it
to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes,
everyone had their own balloon in their hands.
The speaker reflected on what this exercise meant. This, he
said, is exactly what’s happening in all of our lives. Everyone
is desperately looking around for happiness, but no one knows
where to find it.
Our happiness lies in the happiness of other
people. Give them their happiness, and in return, you will get
your own happiness.