Contentment & joy is all about service: PM

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said real joy lies in serving the masses – an act that leads to a life filled with contentment.

The Prime Minister quoted the legendary Lebanese-American philosopher and poet Khalil Gibran, saying as: “I slept and dreamed that the life is full of joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy”.

“Those who discover and get to understand the wisdom of Gibran’s words, get to live a life of contentment,” the Prime Minister posted on Twitter, referring to Gibran, the author of literary classics including ‘The Prophet’ and ‘Broken Wings’.

The Prime Minister’s post drew attention of Twitterati as a few confused it with the quotation of Bengali prose-writer Rabindranath Tagore.

Tagore’s actual quote however read as “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy”, with use of additional words ‘acted and behold’, in clear difference with Gibran’s quotation.

Paulo Coelho, 71, the Brazilian author known for his best-seller novel ‘Alchemist’ and the frequent inspirational quotes about life has also used the same frame as used by Gibran and Tagore, but with altering words ‘happiness’ with ‘joy’ and ‘duty’ with ‘service’.

“I fell asleep and dreamed that life was only Happiness. I woke and discovered that life was Duty. I did my Duty and discovered that life was Happiness,” Coelho said.

The close relation between service and joy inspired the three renowned writers of their times – and of course many others in the world, including political leaders with passion to serve the masses.