Seeds of Happiness

There should be many ways to be happy.  There are many ministers talking about "happiness."  There are countless numbers of books about "happiness" in the past and in the present.  And there will be much more books about "happiness" in the future.   In other words, everybody in all generations is interested in being happy because happiness is something everybody wants, yet it's hard to obtain.

In my understanding, the way to happiness is very simple. All you need is just a seed of happiness.   You can be happy because of a seed. Without a seed, you cannot become happy. Therefore, I believe sowing any seed in this life is very important.

Seed can be anything. Reading books, studying hard, finding a job, working hard, having friends, doing hobbies....and children are seeds of happiness, too, (though they are also seeds of trouble, too, but today I'm not talking about.)   Religious faith is also very important seed of happiness.   In our Jodo Buddhism, chanting Namu Amida Butsu is also a seed of happiness not only in this life, but also in the life after this life.    Whatever religions you have believed, they can be a great seed of happiness since they show the way faraway, the life after this life.

But today, my recommendation of the way to happiness is very simple and easy to do. Get a seed of plant, and sow a seed in the soil.   If you don't own the property like me, buy a planter and soil to start.   Then watch the seed in soil everyday until it grows....That's it.  

This is a seed of my happiness.  I believe all garden-enthusiasts will agree with my happiness,  but if you have never done this, I'd like to recommend you to start sowing a seed of your favorate plant.  

And watch how it grows.....I'm sure you will be surprised that you can be happy to see the sprout, flowers and its fruits.  Of course, this happienss is such a small event, but by paying attention to smaller things, I believe you will be very good at finding more seeds of happiness...and you will realize that happiness is not there in the future, but always here in the present moment.