The image is for representation only.
The man who saw the mud was sad and angry. He never remained happy and was very aggressive. He never practised happiness; in fact, he did not know it. He could not control his emotions and actions. He often fought with the other prisoners. This made the other prisoners hate him. They never wanted to be with him except for the prisoners who resembled him in nature.
What about the man who saw stars? Well, he was a man with a joyful and happy nature. He laughed a lot and made other prisoners laugh, too. The other prisoners always enjoyed his company. They preferred him rather than the first prisoner. Although he was a prisoner, he was soft-hearted.
Everyone has different perspectives, perceptions, ideas, views, opinions and experiences. They usually differ from each other. People's behaviour and actions define who they are.
To be like the second prisoner, one must have a healthy (pure and soft) heart. He must know how to control his emotions and actions. He must know how to behave with others and enjoy their company. He must be happy. Remember, "the one who gets angry for a minute loses 60 seconds of happiness."
A positive attitude and mindset can also make a person happy and joyful, like the second man. To get happiness, one must have a burning desire for it, which must be mixed with faith to gain it.
"To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions." – Stephen R. Covey.
Nishan Karki
Class 10, Pestalozzi Children's Village India
Image Courtesy- iStock
