The Need to Be Needed
YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FAR to encounter people who feel overwhelmed, angry or anxious. We regularly feature stories on how to overcome anxiety, manage stress and strive for a happier state of mind. Yet, why is it that people living in prosperous countries feel this pain, and why is it becoming increasingly common? In the article ‘Behind Our Anxiety, the Fear of Being Unneeded’ (page 32) the Dalai Lama addresses this modern conundrum. He points out that people thrive when they feel needed, when they have a purpose and are able to share their talents with others. His solution is for individuals to make sharing a habit – a simple message from a revered Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Among my favourite stories in this month’s magazine is a travel story set in Africa. It’s a well-known fact in publishing and media that travel writers enjoy the lion’s share of the fun (pun intended). Exciting and intrepid as it might often be, nothing quite prepared reporter Vijaya Pratap for her bizarre encounter with a very chilled cheetah while on a Kenyan Safari (‘Hitting the High Spots’, page 84). And before you start to recoil, no, her encounter didn’t turn into a Drama-in-Real-Life. It was one of those little unexpected moments that makes travel so worthwhile.