Patrick A. Gallimore, Contributor
MONEY CANNOT bring happiness. However, money can facilitate one's physical security and comfort. With a substantial amount of money, one can purchase houses, furnishings, cars etc. and live comfortably. Money can also affords one the ability to access certain educational and social outlets. However, these must not be confused with happiness.
Happiness, in my view, means being at peace with oneself. An individual cannot be truly happy unless he/she is at peace. To gain true peace, an individual has to have a moral anchor through which to grow and develop spiritually. Being at peace means being without any form of worry. Worry is one of the greatest enemies of peace because a person who worries constantly will always be under emotional and physical stress, to one degree or another.
GREAT STRESS
Often we may look at wealthy persons in our society and our world and automatically conclude that they are happy. Such persons usually have great emotional and physical stress because they worry, for example, about their various multi-million dollar investments, the several businesses they own, and their personal security - i.e. in relation to crime. There are several billionaires whose lives reached tragic proportions and who died in a state of unhappiness.
It is true that poverty brings with it a certain amount of misery because poor individuals will be unable to access basic amenities such as proper food, good clothes, ideal shelter, etc. However, while these conditions are highly unsatisfactory, such individuals can still grasp happiness because we all have open and free access to God, through Whom peace and happiness can be sought and gained.
In our world, materialism has become the order of the day. We consume voraciously and consciously or subconsciously believe that the more we consume the happier we will be. This is a fallacy.
Happiness cannot be bought because it is intangible. Thus, material possessions that are tangible cannot bring us happiness. These can only bring us pleasure and comfort.
Happiness is a feeling that emerges in our psyche as a result of the spiritual foundation we have lain. In other words, it is only through Christ that we can access and gain peace of mind and, as a result, gain happiness. Without a strong spiritual foundation, coping with life's many and diverse challenges will prove burdensome and overwhelming which are the conditions under which unhappiness thrives.
We should all strive to be happy.
