Closing Thoughts on Money and Happiness

The river of happiness is fed far less by wealth than by the streams of ordinary pleasures. "What keeps our faith cheerful," says Garrison Keillor, "is everywhere in daily life, a sign that faith rules through ordinary things: through cooking and small talk, through storytelling, making love, fishing, tending animals and sweet corn and flowers, through sports, music, and books, raising kids - all the places where the gravy soaks in and grace shines through. Even in a time of elephantine vanity and greed, one never has to look far to see the campfires of gentle [and happy] people."

- The Pursuit of Happiness


Dear God, what have I been missing?! Perhaps the sense of joy that comes, as Garrison Keillor suggests, through more ordinary, ongoing moments of cheer - through identifying with children as they ride their adolescent roller coasters, through laughter and tears shared with friends, through work created and completed, through daily games of pickup basketball with friends, through happy recollections of Chinese tearooms, of family beach fires, of falling in love.

Realizing that well-being is something other than being well-off is liberating. It liberates us from spending tons of money on fancy SUVs and waterfront beach homes - all purchased in a vain quest for an elusive joy. It liberates us from envying the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It liberates us to invest ourselves in developing traits, attitudes, relationships, activities, environments, and spiritual resources that will promote our own, and others', well-being.

This is the path that I hope I am on, and with Dr. S's help, I sincerely hope I am successful on this journey.