A famous philosopher once said, “Letting go everything one possess gives him/her the real freedom. And freedom is the real pursuit of happiness.” Though seems a simple phrase, it has a lot to offer to all those people who are dearly attached to their wealth and other possessions.
A wise soul once advised me that should start practicing the non-attachment and live a free life. I did not really understand what he meant. It was simply incomprehensible to me and the way I live. What I understood at that point was he was asking me to lead a life that is not attached to the earthly pleasures and love. I did not take him seriously. Partly because, I was, at that point of time, never really felt attached to anything nor understood the meaning of real attachment.
I was just a “normal” person who does “normal” things. I got graduated, had a few failed relationships, got married, bought a home, and had my own car and a pet dog. I was also trying hard to build my business. Everything was normal and seemed right. As years passed, I thought everything was running smooth and I gotten the life that most people carve for.
I never knew that, in the back of my mind, I was practicing the art of not being attached to the materialistic life. Coming from a wealthy family, I have never really carved for food, clothes or shelter. This might be one of the reasons for me not being attached to worldly pleasures. I never had to ask for a designer wear that many young people want to wear. I never had to ask for a car to go to the college. I never longed for sex as I had quite a few relationships. I literally had everything one could ask for.
Then how did I know that I was practicing non-attachment and wanted to live a free life? I came to know it a couple of years back, when I lost my house. I was not panicking like a normal person does, when he loses his home. My mother asked me if was sad. My answer was a prompt, “No.” I was embarrassed that I had no regrets of losing the very home where my kids were born. But that was true. Everyone was surprised and that includes my wife and two sons. I thought that something was terribly wrong with me.
I finally understood that I have taken the first step towards non-attachment to property. I could have chosen to be sad and cry over the loss. Instead, I chose not to be sad. I chose not pay any significance to the lost property. I then thought, “I finally mastered the non-attachment thing.” I was happy.
Years later, when my business incurred heavy losses, I panicked. My thought of mastering “non-attachment” was completely wrong. I chose to be unhappy over the monetary losses I suffered. Maybe I was not sad that I have lost money, but maybe I was sad because all the hard work that I put into my business went in vain. I was confused.
I remembered what the wise old soul told me on that day, “Attachment is nothing but emotional dependence. It’s the bonding that we create with wealth, property, things and people. The whole and sole intention behind this bonding is the survival of what we love most.”
Now I had to decide, what do I love the most? A year later my wife divorced me, and then I found the answer. The thing that everyone loves the most is happiness. My wife wasn’t happy with my financial situation and decided to part ways. She chose to be happy. This is the core meaning of life, “to be happy.” And that is what practicing, “non attachment and live a free life,” teaches us. Don’t give into materialistic things and pleasures the world has to offer, Detach yourself from all those worldly pleasures and then you will be left with the true meaning of life, “HAPPINESS.”
Down with the Sea 