Happy people
In the modern and highly developed world there are many worries, problems and stress. We worry actually about everything, often trifles, which in fact don't matter, but can easily give us sleepless nights. We are used to the constant lack of time, we have learned to chase money, success or material goods... However, this is not the same thing everywhere. In distant regions of the world, there are still nooks where people live, people who don't know constant rush, endless rivalry and worrying about anything that will not save their lives.
These people are happy people.
I am someone who was made to live to the fullest. I come from a world where everything goes fast, where civilization has reached the highest stages, where the one who doesn't fight for more, lags behind, becomes the loser and the winner is the one who achieves the most. I'm not ashamed of this because I know that this reality shaped me, made me strong and having both feet on the ground. After all I'm a person who knows what I want, get anything I desire and go forward without looking back. Intensive life, striving for the greatest possible performance, reach and news, setting goals to achieve and fighting to become even better version of myself, in every aspect, is my everyday life, something that is an integral part of my lifestyle and living.
For a long time, "the race for the better" seemed to me something essential, something necessary to survive. The fact that we, those from the "big world", are constantly full of thoughts, we worry about what we should not, often look for problems where they are not, and can't sleep at night, because something went not as we planned, seemed so inconspicuous that basically natural.
Everything changed when I went to Africa. First, then second, fifth and tenth time. As a flight attendant, I spent months in the Black Continent, with the passing time I had the impression that it became my second home. I met wonderful people, made friends with some of them, almost everyday contact continues all the time, despite the fact that we come from realities that differ from each other like two galaxies and live tens of thousands of kilometers from each other, our friendship is so strong that not many things can break it. I met people who are really happy. Their happiness that they live, that they can enjoy every day comes from the bottom of their hearts and it's amazing.
They don't have much. They don't live wealthy. They don't have full bank accounts. They do not live in comfortable flats, apartments or luxury residences. They are often hungry and have nothing to put in their mouths. Nothing comes to them at the snap of a finger. These people live in the poorest countries, in the poorest corners, and they showed me a different world, a world where the worry is to provide food when there's famine and water for the family, and the fear is the death of a loved one. This is not a world where the family consists of mom, dad and child. This is not a world where, for every child, the government pays money for its better growth, where every young person from the youngest age is sent to various educational centers. This is not a place where children are surrounded by the best toys. In Africa, families are made up of even a dozen or so children, where most of them don't know what real toys are, where they play with sticks and stones. This is a place where very few can afford their children's participation in school activities that are extremely expensive. People are looking for work on the streets, selling bananas, herbs, fish (which are luxury goods, far from the ocean you can forget about them) or other local products. What do they get for it? Pennies. From a visitor's point of view - they have nothing. And for them, a little water in a bowl and a basket of fruit or fish is a blessing. For these people, the sun, a bit of food and a smile on the child's face are all they need for happiness. Although they live in sometimes extremely poor conditions, they love each other and themselves, smile all the time, they're incredibly cheerful and spread the joy. Their optimism is so pure and authentic that many "rich" could envy them.
These people are great. Thanks to them I became high-spirited, felt much lighter and believed that true happiness is not in splendor and constant competition. Thanks to them I felt that my life doesn't have to please others, so that it would be perfect for me, that I would feel comfortable with it. Thanks to them, I felt attachment to Africa and I will always be happy to go back there. Today, honestly, I can't imagine not having my favorite Blackies in my life. I hope that my wings will take me many more times where life goes on slowly, where many worries are forgotten and I'll be able to meet more wonderful characters.
Although it seems unbelievable, life is not about a rat race, a constant run and a fight for someone's approval. Because how to be truly happy without being happy with yourself?
Somewhere in the world there are people for whom our complicated problems don't exist. They are hungry, poor, yet they enjoy every single day and are happy to have themselves and a little food and water. Before we complain again and look for more problems, let's think whether it is worth it.
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