Christie AlwisBSc (Eng) Hons,MIET, C.Eng (Lond),FIESL (Sri Lanka)

CHALLANGES FOR HAPPINESS

CHALLANGES FOR HAPPINESS

26 JUNE 2010CHAMPANGHA NIVASA

NEGOMBO

WHY WE LIVE IN THIS WORLD?

• MENTALLY & PHYSICALLY TO BE HAPPY• TO ENJOY THE LIFE• IS IT A SELFISH MOTIVE?• IF YOU FORCEFULLY TRY

TO IMPLEMENT YOURIDEA IS CALLED SELFISHNESS.

• ENJOYING YOUR LIFE ISNOT SELFISHNESS

• SELFISH THINGIS TO DEMAND THAT SOMEONE ELSE LIVE TEIR LIFE AS YOU SEE FIT

WHY WE FOLLOW A RELEGION?

• TO UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAS TO LEAD OUR LIFE HAPPILY.

• TO LOVE EACH OTHER WHETHER HE IS YOUR FRIEND OR ENEMY.

• CERTAIN RELEGIONS, TO LOVE PEOPLE WHO IS YOUR FRIEND WITH SIMILAR IDOLOGIES.

• WHICH RELEGION ARE YOU FOLLOWING?

WHAT ARE THE UNDERLINING PRINCIPLES FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIANS

• PARDONING & DEVELOP OUR ABILITIES TO EXTEND LOVE TO THE SOCIETY.

• DEVELOP YOUR ABILITY USING THE PRESENT DAY TECHNOLOGY.

• HOW ABOUT OTHER RELEGIONS?

HOW TO UNDERSTAND CHRISTIANITY

• WHAT ARE THE BOOKS AVAILABLE?• IS IT BIBLE OR GOSPEL?• BIBLE CONTAINS HOW MANY BOOKS? AND WHO IS

THE AUTHOR?• GOSPEL CONTAINS HOW MANY BOOKS? WHO ARE

THE AUTHORS? WHY ALL AUTHORS ARE WRITTING THE SAME SUBJECT?

• WHY DIDNOT GOD GIVES DIRECTLY TO US, IN CLEAR ORDER? AFTER 2000 YEARS WHY CHURCH DID NOT SUMMARISE THE GOSPELS AND MAKE ONE BOOK?

ARE WE FOLLOWING OUR PRINCIPLES?

• LET US DISCUSS ABOUT THE PRACTICAL SCENARIOS WE MIGHT COME ACROSS AND ANALYSE HOW EVERY BODY THINKS

• IS MY VIEW GOOD?• IS YOUR VIEW GOOD?• SHALL WE NOT DISCUSS? AND JUST IGNORE?• ARE YOU PREPARED SUMMARISE YOUR IDEASSO THAT ALL PEOPLE VIEWS TO BE

ACCOMODATED

Story OneA Brother (around 50 years of age in good health) was asked to returned from a missionary assignment in a foreign country. Upon his arrival in his country, he joined a local community. When contacted by the Superior of that country, he kept on explaining his past & future. “I have suffered enough through my mission & now I have come here to prepare for my death.”

1. Why Bro. Was asked to come back to his country? Was it reasonable?2. What do you think, whether Bro. was happy to come or he was forced to

come?3. If you are the Superior, what is the course of action that you should take,

in the spirit of our Religion or our community with regard to the Brother?

4. If you were the Brother, what is course of action that you should take, in the spirit of our Religion or our Marist Way?

5. Our Spirit may be viewed as;a. What is the relationship between Work and Happiness?b. Is death is a solution for suffering? What are the third party

solutions given by God?c. How does the happiness through work, drive our life to eternal life?

Story TwoA young Brother arrived in a community after informing the bursar to stay overnight. He was met at the door by the Superior & the Bursar of that particular community. “O Welcome, Brother!, Happy to see you!,” said the community Superior with a broad smile on his face. Within seconds he disappeared into his room closing it, leaving the bursar to look after the Brother. The Bursar offered a drink to the Brother, chatted & prepared a room for the Brother to spend the night. After few hours, before dinner, Superior met the Bursar & asked him, “Why has that fellow come here?, did he inform you?, when is he going to leave?.” “I don’t know? What I know is that he is not going to be here forever but only for the night” said the Bursar.

1. Why did the Superior verify from the bursar as for how many days the young

Brother was going to stay? Is it that bursar does not exercise his responsibility?2. Why did not the Superior ask the young brother the reason for his coming and

how many days he is going to stay with them ? Was he angry for the arrival of the young brother without informing him?

3. Why did the Bursar not inform the Superior about the arrival of young brother?4. If this is a True story, if you are the young brother/ Superior / Bursar, what are

your feelings? How do you channel your feelings through the Gospel Values? (Eg. Don’t judge others, develop your abilities, etc.)

Story ThreeBrother Matthew was a Brother, who lived in a community of four Brothers. His B’Day fell on the 19th of March. The community was happy to celebrate it and Brother bursar told him about it. His immediate reply was negative & he said “No” to it. Brother bursar was surprised at the answer. He, having thought about this asked Br. Matthew about the celebration for the second time. He got the same reply. One day casually, Br. Bursar suggested to Matthew to get down a few of his friends to his B’Day. Br. Matthew immediately replied positively & consented to celebrate the B’Day. So the friends came & they had a grand party. Matthew was happy. 1. Is the celebration of B’Day important?2. Why did Bro Bursar want to celebrate Bro. Maththew’s Birthday3. The incident gives us the following messages;

a. Bro. Maththew is living Happy/ Unhappy in the communityb. He wants a change of his community members.

4. If he is not happy with the community brothers, what should be the action that bursar should take?

5. If you are Bro. Maththew, how can you present your unpleasant idea towards community in a good manner (Problem Solving Achievement)?

6. Since this is a four brother community, how can they establish good team spirit?7. According to your religion if you are the bursar / Br. Mathew how do you react?

DISCUSSION OUTPUTS

• MANY IDEAS?• IS IT FRUSTRATING?• BEFORE I CAME TO THE WORKSHOP WHAT

WAS MY IDEA, IS IT CHANGED NOW• PERSONS ARE DIFFERENT• WHAT ARE THE EASIEST METHOD OF MOVING

COLLECTIVELY?• LET US ANALYSE FURTHER