Why Gandhi Was Cheerful

1.

You spend all this time
Preparing for the event, the party, the action

Texts, Twitter
Phone calls, Facebook

Your excitement builds
“This is gonna be great!”

Instead of the huge number of people you were hoping for
Only 20% of that figure show-up

Looking over the small turnout
You think

“Marvin never follows through”
“Silvia’s all talk”

“I went to Ricardo’s party—
That’s the last time I’ll…”

You thought it was going to go one way
But it went another

Frustration starts to mount
Agitation sets in

What's the point anyway
When nobody cares

2. 

Perform work in this world, Arjuna, 
As a man established within himself—

Without selfish attachments
Alike in success and defeat

For yoga is perfect evenness of mind
Seek refuge in the attitude of detachment

And you will amass the wealth
of spiritual awareness

The one who is motivated only
By desire for the fruits of her action

And anxious about the results
Is miserable indeed

--Bhagavad Gita, chapter 2, verses 48-49