We Turn to… "Happiness"…

At this time of new beginnings, new purposes, new records, new resolve, we turn a moment to a new subject that is timeworn, yet always timely: the subject of “happiness”⎯which all people pursue. But, said Publilius Syrus some twenty centuries since: “No man is happy unless he believes he is.” In a sense, no man is happy unless he believes he is. And knowing what happiness really is, is an important part of the pursuit.

Happiness is many things, but it is partly peace, partly progress, partly a sense of usefulness, of accomplishment, partly a sense of freedom, partly a quiet conscience, partly being loved and wanted, and partly an awareness that what we most want (including life and loved ones) eternally continues.

Happiness is what a Loving Father would want for His children⎯and does want⎯the Father of us all⎯the happiness of the whole human family. What else would a father want for his family?

And for the happiness of all of us, the Lord God has given us commandments to keep. Sometimes we may think some of them are arbitrary; sometimes we may think some of them are outworn, old-fashioned, and unessential. But principles don’t change; nor does human nature; nor do the basic laws of life; nor the need for love of loved ones; not the eternal nature of man; nor our own eternal continuance. And it is for our happiness, here and hereafter, and for the happiness of all others, that the Lord God has given commandments, rules of life, standards of conduct, that include the great eternal principles as well as the daily courtesies and consideration.

Some of us miss our happiness by being too shortsighted; some by being too self-centered. Some of us miss it by being hasty and headlong, by gambling on short-cuts and traveling wrong roads. But as the journey lengthens out and as the real values appear, we learn that happiness comes inside ourselves, with the peace and accomplishment and quiet conscience that come with keeping the commandments.

This may sound oversimplified. Certainly it won’t satisfy the demands of cynicism, but it is as true as it is trite: that happiness comes with keeping the commandments.