Happiness vanished when you start comparing your lives to others

Article # 119
Dated: 18th March 2022

So yesterday, a driver asked me for help. He asked me to configure a wifi CCTV camera for his shop. He is not educated so he could not read and he was unable to configure himself. I mean he can't even operate a computer so it was not possible for him to configure it from youtube.

So I told him I would meet him in his room after 5 PM when the office time ends. I went to his room and I needed to perform prayer so I used his washroom for ablution. I really got impressed by the work of tiles in his washroom. When I got free from the prayers I asked him, who did these tiles work in your washroom. And I got surprised and impressed when he told me that he has constructed this washroom by himself. Unfortunately, our management doesn't allow them rooms with attach bathroom and six drivers live in one room. The condition of their rooms is worst. They don't even have proper furniture and beds and they are given cots for sleeping.

So he told me his boss was on good terms with the management. So I requested him to ask for permission of washroom for the management. To which they denied the first time because they didn't want to supply the material so he requested he would buy his own material and everything and will build it himself. So the management approved and he build this washroom by himself.

He felt the need for it because there were a few washrooms outside and everyone used it. And obviously, it's completely dirty that's why he felt the need for a separate washroom.

So I asked that driver why is he wasting his time in this fixed income driving job when he can earn a handsome amount doing his own mason work because he is skillful and expert enough. His answer was "I have given this project more than 10 years and I can't waste these 9 years because I have 4 daughters and I believe the plot that our company provides after 10 years will make it easy for me to cover the wedding expenses for my daughters". This made me feel so sad because our company allots plot after 10 years but to only those who have reference or approach to a higher level. They mostly take 15 to 16 years to allot plot to those who have no reference.

Anyways, my prayers are with him and his daughters and I wish he would get his plot right after 10 years. Unfortunately, our society makes it a lot tougher for those who have daughters. They have to pay for dowry and the wedding expenses for a daughter are almost around 1 Million Pkr for normal families. And 1 million is not low money for normal people who are only surviving on their monthly income. I hope the greedy mindset of our people would change one day.

And another thing I realized we always complain about our lives because we always look up to those who are better than us. We are not thankful for all the blessings that we have got in our lives. We realized it when we see someone who is not doing better in their lives. We should be really thankful there are many people who would actually wish and desire for the things that we have in our life. So we should stop comparing our lives to others and start living our own life. Remember comparison will only make your happiness vanish and it will make your life miserable.

So I configure the wifi camera and I am happy that the driver has settled a mobile accessories shop and he is earning a good amount over there and he is providing the best for his daughters. And we should learn from him to work hard and do our best to meet the needs.

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