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One day Mullah Nasruddin was inconsolably crying. His neighbours and friends gathered around and asked why Nasruddin grimly replied, "My uncle has passed away. A friend asked, "Was he very close and dear to you?"

Nasruddin replied, "Not very close. I have seen him during childhood. But he has left one lakh rupees for me." The friends were surprised, "Why are you crying for a distant uncle, more so when he has left so much money?" Nasruddin replied, "I am not crying for him. Another uncle of mine died yesterday ."

A neighbour asked, "Oh! He must be very close to you. Never mind, after all everybody has to die…." Nasruddin interrupted, "I am not crying for him. He has also left one lakh rupees for me." The surprised friends asked, "Then what makes you cry?" Nasruddin said, "Another uncle of mine died day before yesterday He has also left one lakh rupees for me."

The friends rebuked, "Today you are richer by three lakh rupees by the death of three distant uncles. Instead of crying you should rejoice."

Nasruddin grimly replied, "How can I rejoice? I am crying because I do not have any other uncle to die and give me one lakh rupees more."

We all make ourselves unhappy like Nasruddin over what we have not got or cannot get, instead of being happy over what we have got. In life we get certain things and do not get certain things. We have precious life, loving relations, air, water, flowers, green grass and blue skies to make us happy . All nature is busy giving us pleasure. But we have no time to accept it.

We are too busy in counting what we have not got: a bigger house, better car, power and position and so on. We forget that someday in the near future we have to leave everything for our eternal abode.

Life is too short to be possessed by these transitory possessions. Since life is in motion we cannot remain happy with anything for long. So why pine for them?

innervoice@hindustantimes.com