In Pursuit of Happyness

“In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.
It wearies me, you say it wearies you
But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
What stuff ‘tis made of, whereof it is born,
I am to learn….”

- Act I Scene I,
Antonio in The Merchant of Venice,
William Shakespeare

Sometimes it feels strange… What Shakespeare penned centuries ago, is also valid for this day. It seems strange enough to see people sad. Sad, especially when the reason for sadness is the absence of a reason for happiness.

To me, it feels like either I’ve gone crazy or I am the only sane person existing and the world around has gone nuts. It all began on the 7^th of May, 2007 – A severe adrenaline rush went through my veins. The obvious reason, first job post MBA.

A new dimension, a new perspective, a new domain, a new place and a new job. A firm which I could be proud of, a brand name that I could brag about.

But I found a different culture here. A culture where work is fun and fun is work. This was a culture I had never seen before. A reign where every individual gives endless hours to work and enjoys it as if it were life. A world that’s bubbling with Energy and every new soul that joins the flow synergizes the degree of Energy.

I had caught this idea somewhere down my memory lane that Man and viruses are the only two species that can perfectly adapt to their circumstances, and with a strong belief that I am either of the two, I joined the flow.

Days went by and soon I became a part of it. My foes mock at me and my friends show their considerations. Near and dear ones ask why I am doing this to myself. People call me a psycho for the endless hours I put in.

But the story at this end is quite different. This cubicle of mine seems like a whole new world to me. With a new challenge that I face everyday, this seat gives me my raison d'être. It’s a heaven of freedom – where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. And the world of free knowledge with no bounds, right at my fingertips adds to the same.

Tonight, I confess that this confinement seems more homely to me than the one-room-set I’ve rented a few miles away. It gives me more enjoyment than the malls, shopping complexes, restaurants and cinemas around. It gives me more relaxation than any other source of entertainment. In short, it gives me “happyness”. I strongly believe that my pursuit has ended. Am I insane??? Hamlet wonders…