"Happy"

The documentary "Happy" is fascinating, in particular in the beginning they interview a gentleman who pulls a rickshaw for a living. This is wondrous, from the stand point that he is happy. My mind has difficulty with this, because he is poor to the point that sometimes he, “eats just rice with salt”. How is it possible that a person who can barely afford to pay for food let alone provide for his family be happy? If I get off of my ivory tower for a minute I can just see maybe, how it’s possible. So I live with a tremendous amount at my fingertips endless amounts of food, the internet, T.V., clothing and shelter. So my basic needs are met, strange as it might seem that is hard to remember sometimes. But if I remove my ego for a second and I am capable of realizing the truth, that I am richer than a majority of the world because I have shoes. I find it hard to want for anything, the instant that happens I am happier. I find I am more grateful for what I do have and not what I don’t. The challenge now is to carry this thought through my waking life constantly, and perhaps I might be as happy as the gentleman in the documentary. J