Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 April 2025
1. Mawazo mbalimbali juu ya furaha
2. Utajiri au umaskini hauhusiani na furaha
3. Furaha haihusiani na maisha ya mjini wala shamba
4. Furaha halisi ni furaha ya moyo
Watu mbalimbali wana mawazo mbalimbali ya furaha. Wengine huvutwa na maisha ya shamba kwa sababu ya amani na wastani wake, na wengine huvutwa na maisha ya mjini kwa sababu ya uzuri, fahari na anasa zake. Wengine wadhani kwamba furaha huletwa na utajiri, wakati wengine wadhanipo kwamba furaha halisi hupatikana katika umaskini.
Sidhani kwamba tajiri ana furaha halisi, kwa sababu ana fedha ya kununulia atakacho tu. Fedha haiwezi kununua kila kitu. Fedha huleta uwezo, faraja na furaha, lakini ina mipaka yake vile vile. Kwa mfano, fedha haiwezi kununua urafiki wa kweli, au mapenzi ya kweli, amani au furaha halisi. Fedha yaweza kununua dawa bora kabisa dukani, lakini haiwezi kununua afya. Wakati huo huo, sidhani kwamba maskini ni mtu mwenye furaha halisi. Ni dhana tupu tu kufikiri kwamba kila mkulima ni mtu mwenye furaha, na kila mtu akaaye katika kibanda hulala usingizi mnono. Mwulize mkulima tu aonavyo utaona mambo yalivyo. Washairi na wataalamu zamani walitukuza umaskini lakini kweli ni kwamba furaha halisi huihusiani na utajiri wala umaskini.
Katika utafiti wetu wa furaha tutaona kwamba furaha ya kweli huja kwa akili yetu wenyewe. Twaweza kuhuzunika hata wakati tumekaa juu ya mlima wa dhahabu na kufurahi hata kama hatuna senti moja ya shaba mifukoni mwetu. Nadhani kwamba furaha ya kweli huja tuwapo si matajiri wala maskini, lakini tuweze kutimiza haja na faraja zetu zipasazo katika maisha tu. Maisha ya raha hutia uvivu na ulegevu. Nadhani furaha ya kweli huja kwa kuzifanyia kazi haja zenyewe, lakini si kwa kuwa na choyo.
Wengine huona furaha kwa kuishi kama mkulima katika shamba. Maisha ya shamba yana nafuu nyingi juu ya maisha ya mjini kwa sababu ya haraka ya ovyo na makusudio yake mbalimbali. Katika kijiji kuna amani na neema. Lakini kwenda kijijini hakugeuzi mtu mwenye huzuni kuwa mtu mwenye furaha usiku mmoja. Mtu aweza kupata amani hata katikati ya mji juu ya makelele na ghasia zake za desturi kama pana amani katika moyo wake.
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