Wealth Does Not Equal Happiness

You've heard it a million times (or more), you can't buy happiness. But just once you'd like to be given the opportunity. After all, you're pretty sure that if you weren't worried about your mortgage/rent payment, car payment, credit card bills, utility bills, and other bills, you could probably find some time to be happy. Or could you? There's a famous European folktale that says otherwise.

There was once a king who ruled wisely and justly, and was loved by his people. He had made peace with neighboring kingdoms, and he had a happy and beautiful family. But one day he fell ill. All the court physicians came to him, but none could discern the cause of his illness or how to cure him. Each day he grew weaker and weaker. The court wise men were called in and were equally baffled. Then, the oldest and wisest of the king's wise men told him that the only cure for his disease was to put on the shirt of a truly happy man. Immediately, all the messengers in the kingdom were sent out to find a truly happy man. Over the next several days, they began to return, one by one, disappointed. No one could find a truly happy man. Then, early on the morning of the fourth day, a messenger returned with news. He had found a truly happy man. The weak king was dressed and put on his horse, and the king, his guards, and the messenger rode out to the edge of the kingdom. The sun was setting as they arrived at a very poor, small house. It had a small but well tended garden, and while the people were obviously poor, things seemed to be in good order. The messenger climbed down from his horse and knocked on the door. A woman answered.

"Bring your husband," he ordered. "The king has come to see him."

The woman at first protested that her husband was tired and had gone to sleep, but the messenger demanded he be woken. So the woman went in the house. A minute later a man came to the door wrapped in a blanket. Though he was obviously tired, his eyes twinkled and a smile was on his face.

"How may I serve His Majesty?" the man asked.

"The king requires your shirt," the messenger said.

At this the man began to laugh. When the messenger demanded to know why, the man removed the blanket. He was so poor that he did not own a shirt!

There are a couple versions of the story. The most common ends here, the point being made. Another version, perhaps made later to appease listeners, has the king learning happiness from the poor man and his wife, and in return granting them whatever it is they need to live, to which they reply nothing, but the king grants them more land and a larger home anyway.

But the point of the story is obvious, regardless of the ending you choose. Happiness is a state of mind, not a financial state. And while we know daily life would be easier if we never had to consider how much money we had in our checking account, you only have to look at the number of rich and powerful people who mess up their lives to realize that happiness is as elusive to them as it is to the rest of us.

So what's the solution? Choose to be happy regardless. Find a reason to make yourself happy. It could be something simple like just being alive. It could be friends and family. It could be a talent like music or painting. Maybe you're a great hairdresser. Maybe you just love growing a garden. Whatever it is, latch onto it. In the end, you will find that what you really want is happiness anyway, and it may surprise you what else comes your way when you're happy.

For more folktale insight, check out my ebook The Wisdom of Folktales Lessons on How to Live Happily Ever After, available here, at BarnesandNoble.com, at Amazon.com, and at Smashwords.com!

Have a question you want to ask? Send me an email and I'll be happy to find you an answer in folktales!