‘I once had a friend in Bulgaria who was very rich but always unhappy. One day, I met him in the street and he said, « You look as though you were bursting with joy; what have you been doing? » ‘Oh, nothing much’, I replied; ‘I’ve just bought some joy.’

« You’re joking », he answered; « How can you buy joy? » ‘No, no, I’m not joking; it’s perfectly true: I have just bought some joy, and it didn’t even cost much!’ « Tell me how you did it’, said my friend; ‘I have spent a great deal of money in my life but I have never experienced joy. »

‘He was looking at me with an expression of disbelief and astonishment, and yet he knew me well and he knew that I wouldn’t deceive him. So I said, ‘Come with me; I’ll show you… Look; there’s a man who sells joy.’

We were looking at a poor old man who had a tray of buttons, shoe-laces and string for sale. ‘Yes, look at him’, I said; ‘A long time ago that man was a great Initiate, but he made a lot of mistakes and now he has to stand there, in all weathers, waiting for people to buy his wares. Go and take something from his tray, some boot-laces, for instance, and ask him how much they are. He will tell you, “Ten levs.” Then you can give him fifty and tell him to keep the change.

He will be amazed and very happy. He will think, “Ah, there are still some kind people in the world.” His faith will be strengthened, and you will share his joy; you will feel it vibrating within you all day long… and it will have cost you only a few pennies.’

My friend understood what I was saying and was delighted. Then I added, ‘You can go and see someone who is ill, also. Take them a small gift of some kind and say a few kind words. Tell them that God is merciful and everything will turn out all right. When you try to comfort others and give them a little joy, you too will know joy. But you must be careful to choose the right person to visit, because not everybody can accept joy.’ Obviously, there are a great many other ways of finding joy.’

Omraam Mikhaël Aïvanhov
Complete Works, Vol. 1, The Second Birth, Love, Wisdom, Truth
Chapter 5