Everything I need to know...I learned from the Happy Monk

"ah so grasshopper, I see you have returned to learn the secrets of happiness"

Yes, I did go and get the book on 'Happiness". It seems I was partly mistaken, the happy Monk was not as big on brevity as I first thought. However amigos, I will give the Cole's notes version to save you time and make this more fun and easy. Here is secret number one:

"it is difficult to change the world. It is possible and a lot easier to change the way we look at it"

This reminded me of an experience I had in Mexico while on a recent holiday. Each morning in Mazatlan I loved to get up early find my morning coffee, take my book and go down to the beach to read and contemplate. Usually I would have the beach to myself with the exception of the hotel employees.

Each morning I would be greeted by a Mexican man whose job it was to clean the beach. I have never met such a warm, friendly and happy man of menial labour. As he scooped up the cigararete butts and discarded debris he was either singing or whistling. I would look forward to his enthusiastic greetings....Buenas Dias Eduardo! It always felt like he was delighted to see me. And it wasn't just me he greeted that way, it was anyone who looked his way.

Over my two weeks there I watched touristas bring him coffee, give him money and even gifts. Amazing!

Here is a person with one of the lowest positions at the hotel and the rich (by comparison) tourists bring him gifts. Every gift is received with warm gratitude and a huge smile.

Another thing is that he spoke almost no English and yet he conveyed everything necessary to attract friendship. He is one of the happiest people I have ever met, hardworking and full of appreciation....a wealthy man full of abundance.

So back to what the happy Monk said about how you interpret your world, I'm thinking this guy knew he was living in Paradise and loving it. You might have noticed that both the Monk and the beach cleaner were poor (I'm sure hoping that there is no necessary connection there).

More later....