I went to Ikea for the first time yesterday. Somehow I have avoided it for so long, but what a joy it was! Like a kid in a sweet shop I “helped” my fiancee design a kitchen, picking bench tops and doors and handles and soft closures and colours and textures and oh, I do hope I was helpful.
The suggestion of a zen water “feature” in one of the corners was one of my better, more helpful ideas, I thought. Apparently Ikea don’t do those so the idea was scrapped. They’re missing a trick there, for sure.
I have a friend who says going to Ikea with a prospective loved one is the best way of knowing if the prospect will be able to stay the distance.
She insists that countless heart break would be avoided if all potentials are vetted via this “Ikea process”.
The fiancee and I certainly walked out still talking to each other, so I think that is a good sign.
What I learnt, and here perhaps is the critical point of this musing, is that happiness is far greater than trying to be right.
Sometimes you want to be right, and you need to be right, and yet happiness doesn’t care if your water feature idea is taken up or not.
Sometimes being right is important. But not as often as people would think. You can also still be right in your own heart, and not need the other to know just how right you are.
I learnt that people will insist on being unhappy just for the sake of purple (sorry, “aubergine”) over grey (“taupe”).
It’s as if their ideas and beliefs on what makes a greater cooking environment are actually who they are.
Perhaps they are. Perhaps if we open you up we would find purple or grey insides, and we would know your taste in kitchens.
But regardless, I think being right should give way to being happy a lot more. Because being happy is so much more than being right.
It would also mean many more people are happy more often, don’t you think?
I do. But I think zen water gardens are a good idea, so what do I know?
You may know that I have a meditation weekend course coming up (15-17 April). I think it is a wonderful tool for greater happiness, I think it is the single greatest thing you might ever do.
It brings so much happiness, and great relationships, and great calm, and is incredibly simple to do.
If you’re interested in more, if you want to book a seat, sign up here:
https://arjunaishaya.leadpages.co/ascensionmeditation/
Have a great day. If you need anything, just ask.
Keep the Peace! - Arjuna