“WHAT’S INSIDE IS OUTSIDE.”

One day, the heroine of our story, Ada, started thinking. “I never do anything for myself. Life can't go on like this; I’m always unhappy,” she said to herself. Having changed many jobs, Ada realized that no matter where she went, the same things happened. The story was always the same; only the names were different. While she was thinking like this, a voice inside her said, “Why don’t you ask others? See what they do to be happy.”

Ada decided to listen to this voice. She shared her troubles with friends, acquaintances, and anyone she came across. “I want to be happy all the time. I want good things to happen to me,” she said. The more she asked, the more she understood that people weren’t much different from her. She pondered deeply and withdrew into herself. At that very moment, the so-called “madman” of the neighborhood was passing by. “Well, he’s the only one I haven’t asked,” Ada thought.

The man, whom people mocked as the madman, answered immediately: “Sister Ada, I love seeing new places and traveling the most.” He didn’t say, “Oh, who has happiness that we should find it?” nor did he ask, “Oh dear, are you feeling down?” He didn’t suggest seeing a psychologist or advise her to quit her job and find another one. He simply said the first thing that came to his mind.

Ada started thinking deeply. She knew she needed a short vacation, to see new places, but she couldn’t decide where to go. “Should I ask someone again?” she wondered. She sat down and started watching TV. While flipping through channels, she saw an advertisement for a hotel that said, “You’ll find what you’re looking for here.” The hotel was very comfortable and had a beautiful view. Ada thought to herself, “I wish I could stay there and also travel, explore, and wander around. That would be wonderful.” And with that thought, she fell asleep.

In her dream, she was at the hotel she had seen on TV. She sunbathed a little, swam a little, and was having so much fun. As she lay on a lounge chair to rest, she noticed a magazine on one of the beach tables, which was about the historic bazaar of the city she was in. She flipped through the pages and saw that this old city was completely preserved—antique shops, museums, historical artifacts, inns, castles, shops selling colorful fabrics, and street vendors selling cotton candy. Excited, she hurried to her hotel room, eager to see this old city.

Ada changed her clothes and waited in front of the hotel. A minibus and a horse-drawn carriage were approaching the hotel entrance. As she debated which one to take, a voice inside her said, “Take the first one that arrives.” She raised her hand, and as soon as the carriage driver saw her, he pulled the reins. He was trying to overtake the minibus. The minibus hit the brakes to avoid the carriage. The horse ran with all its might and stopped beside the hotel. Ada was frozen in place, stunned by this cinematic moment.

The carriage driver said to Ada, “Come on, we’re going to find happiness.” Ada was bewildered but felt her feet moving toward the carriage. “How do you know that I’m searching for happiness?” she asked. “People who come to this hotel are looking for happiness,” the driver replied. At that moment, morning arrived, and Ada woke up from her beloved dream. She washed her face and got ready for work. The whole day, she rushed around, dealing with her chaotic job. Thinking about all the unfinished tasks exhausted her once again. It felt like wherever she went in life, she carried chaos with her.

Evening came, and she left work tired, took the company shuttle, and headed home. She lay down on her couch. Suddenly, her dream came back to her mind. “I hope it continues from where it left off,” she thought. She looked at the clock. “Still a long time until bedtime,” she said. Feeling restless, she decided to go out for a walk until nightfall. She grabbed a snack, put on her tracksuit, and went for a walk in the park.

She didn’t quite understand what was happening to her—she was both tired and wide awake. As she walked through the park, she came across a small puppy. The puppy was barking as if trying to tell her something. Many animals had tried to communicate with her before, but Ada had always been too busy. This time, she listened. The puppy was pointing at its empty water bowl. Ada went to the store, bought water and some dog biscuits. She played with the puppy and stopped thinking about her own problems. After some time, she said goodbye to the puppy and headed home. A voice inside her asked if she was happy. “Yes!” Ada shouted.

She went home and thought, “Why should I wait for the dream? I’m going to that hotel.” She turned on the TV, and as soon as she did, she saw the same advertisement again. “How lucky I am,” she thought. She noted the hotel’s address and phone number and immediately booked a reservation online for the following week. Every time Ada said “yes” to life, new doors opened for her. “Is this what stepping out of my comfort zone means?” she wondered.

The week passed in the blink of an eye. Ada packed her suitcase and was ready for her journey. Friday arrived, and she got her plane ticket and headed to the airport. As she impatiently waited for her flight, an elderly woman sat beside her. “Dear, my eyesight is poor. Am I sitting in the right place?” the woman asked. Ada checked her ticket and said, “Yes, auntie, you’re in the right place.” They started talking. The elderly woman spoke about how much she loved and missed her grandchildren. She couldn’t move closer to them because she had to take care of her elderly husband. Her husband, on the other hand, insisted that their children should move closer to them. She was torn between her husband and grandchildren, constantly traveling back and forth.

Ada felt deeply sorry for the woman and listened intently. She asked many questions, trying to find a solution. “What if your family bought a summer house where you could all gather? Or what if they bought a winter home near you and visited on weekends? Or maybe you could get a house big enough for everyone?” She was surprised at how many ideas came to her mind. But the elderly woman was set in her ways. For a moment, they locked eyes and burst into laughter. “My dear, no one has listened to me like this in years. I feel such a connection to you. Maybe I exaggerated a little,” the woman said. Ada didn’t get mad. “Doesn’t everyone do the same?” she thought. They both looked up to hear the landing announcement. “Time passed so quickly,” Ada said. The woman thanked her, saying, “This was the best flight I’ve ever had.” They hugged and said their goodbyes.

Ada took a taxi and told the driver the hotel’s name. On the way, many thoughts ran through her mind. “Did I find happiness before even getting there?” she wondered. The last few weeks flashed before her eyes. Ada had started enjoying life more. “It doesn’t matter. I’m always chasing happiness,” she thought. “There’s always something to learn in life, no matter what,” the voice inside her added. She arrived at the hotel and unpacked. She no longer cared about the ending of the story because the journey itself was so enjoyable.

As she was changing to go sunbathing, she saw a magazine about the historical bazaar of the city, just like in her dream. Ada chuckled. “This magazine wasn’t supposed to be here,” she thought. Then she decided she would visit the historical bazaar first. She got ready, went outside, and called a taxi. The taxi dropped her off in the heart of the bazaar. Without wasting a moment, she stepped into the first inn she saw and started browsing old items. Ada was fully present, her senses heightened.

At that moment, the shop owner approached her and asked, “What are you looking for?” Ada turned to him and replied, “I’m searching for happiness.”

The shop owner smiled. “Oh dear, you too? Who lost it that we should find it?”

Just then, Ada found a beautiful handwritten mirror. She wiped the dust off, and on it, she read the words: “WHAT’S INSIDE IS OUTSIDE.”