Hope and happiness
Malake 7s
JUST over a decade ago, Malake came under the spotlight as news came about three sisters who failed to return home from a fishing trip and picnic with family friend, Dip Chand.
The boat was found adrift a day after with only Chand in it.
Police searched over a large area of the seas within the vicinity of Malake Island but the bodies were never found.
There are countless conspiracy theories as to what may have happened to the three sisters.
With the help of DNA evidence, mystery man, Dip Chand was convicted of triple homicide and is currently serving jail time.
Today, however, Malake Island is coming under the media’s gaze once again but for all the right reasons, and your editorial comment (FT 22/12) was wonderful in capturing Malake’s hopes and aspirations in hosting a 7s tournament in January 2022.
I have my best wishes for the Malake Rugby Club and tournament co-ordinator Isoa Tute in organising the event and I know there will be some players from Malake who will raise their hands for national selection after the tournament.
SAMU RAILOA
Nadi
Happy life
AJAY Bhai Amrit makes a good case for living a happy life in his Talanoa column (FT 18/12)
Sometimes I wonder; when happiness is not enough?
Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist in his book The Happiness Hypothesis regards that there is an ancient and a modern approach to the problem of happiness.
Haidt reasoned that wisdom of the ancients was; not to attach ourselves too much to anything in this world.
In due course we might lose that thing or even when it is in our possession we will still not be satisfied.
The modern approach is quite the opposite.
That is, we are not to stifle our desires in pursuit of happiness.
We let nothing stand in our way.
It is possible to receive initial success in whatever legitimately has been pursued according to this latter approach.
Then a little later we realise that the success in the endeavour was not satisfying enough.
The option then is to seek happiness in the next thing.
SFor instance, if we find our career or spouse do not give us enough happiness; we abandon them and move to the next one.
The problem is; much of our modern approach can drive us frantic if we keep changing our goal of happiness.
Roman poet Horace once said “no one lives content” in other words even when we reach heights of success, we find ourselves not happy and content.
Happiness happens to be elusive for one thing.
SACHIDA NATH
Nadi
IT’S the time we celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ’s birth.
MATELITA SUKANAIVALU Suva