Stop Being a Looker-on

Many people want to know how to be happy. This good quality is not exclusive to children. Let us be inspired by dogs and recruit the happy feeling.

A beautiful day with blue sky, Sai Kung (a famous suburb of Hong Kong) was crowded with tourists and local people. I expected to have a relaxing afternoon there. Strolling along the waterfront, quite a number of visitors gathered at some thresholds heading downward to the sea. What made people stay and watch as if they were spell-bounded? The charm came from human’s loyal little friends – dogs.

Nearly no dogs could resist temptation of jumping into the sea for a good swim. They kept their masters waiting at the thresholds, watching them having fun. Their spontaneous excitement, harmless naughtiness and heartily enjoyment formed a lovely sight that was eye-catching indeed. Not knowing how to swim, I sat on the breakwater and took some snapshots of these admirable hedonists.

The lively sight and the photo-taking gave me a great pleasure. Down to the sea and up to the land, many dogs had fun. Their audiences were duller. I suddenly realize that many people are lookers-on in the happy moment, as if pleasure is so scarce that there is not enough for each living creature to enjoy equally.  Of course not; there is plenty out there. What’s wrong with us?

Daily life is complex, full of worries, new challenges and troubles. Whatever dominant, many people tire out and fail to recharge properly. We often overlook the reviving pleasure, which is not far away and unattainable as we imagined. Stop awhile, spot beautiful things and occasions around us, and don’t just be a looker-on; otherwise, the limited participation undercut the potential enjoyment. Maybe we should learn from the dogs, grasping at every opportunity to live out happy moments as much as we can.

I hope everyone could learn the secret of being happy and stop being a looker-on. We deserve more. Next time, I will fly my kite high up in the sky instead of solely watching you – good dogs.

Author’s note:

The Nature is often very inspiring. Take a look at the dogs and cats; it’s amazing to notice that humans can learn a lot from these cute animals. Read the three articles below for the amusing tips I discovered so far.

Valuable Things We can Learn from Dogs

Valuable Things We Can Learn From Cats

Learn How to Sleep Well: A Lesson From Animals