It’s That Simple

Audio By Carbonatix

Recently, I was talking to someone who is very wealthy. He has plenty of stuff. He told me that even though he has a lot of things, that is not what finally has made him happy. He said he’s figured out that his relationship with God and the choice to be at peace with his life are what make him happy.

That seems too simple for our world today. We read that sentence, and we think that can’t be all there is to happiness. There has to be more. Part of it is that we live in a culture that always wants more: a world where you can supersize everything, where good movies end up with two or three sequels that are rarely as good as the original. We are a society hungry for “more.” Home improvement shows are so popular right now because people are always looking for an upgrade or the next best thing. We can’t just buy one pair of those shoes or pants. We need one in every color to be happy, to feel complete. One is not enough. Think about the number of TVs people own today. One used to be enough for the family to gather around at night. Now everyone seems to need their own TV or iPad.

That’s because we all have a hole inside we are trying to fill. We do it with all kinds of different things—a relationship, material goods we buy, supporting our children in sporting events, or some new fad we’re indulging in. But that won’t satisfy us in the long run if that’s all we’ve got. There’s nothing wrong with those things when they’re done in moderation. But a bunch of devices with screens won’t bring us happiness, especially when they cause us to spend less time together and not talk to one another. Fads eventually go out of style and the remains get stashed in a closet, our children eventually graduate, and we eventually get bored or tired of material goods.

What we need to do is fill our lives with things that have deeper meaning or create lasting memories. We need to build relationships that aren’t just electronic. We need to evaluate what it is that we are relying on to make us happy. Because if it’s not a peace from within, then there is a risk that it will disappear or we won’t want it anymore. This is what my friend has figured out, and as he gets older, he feels an urgency to share this wisdom with others.

As the saying goes, you can’t take anything with you. Nothing. In fact, all we do is leave something—an impression. Hopefully it’s a genuine spirit of goodness, kindness, and love. If you will focus on practicing more of that, you will not only leave a legacy that your family and others want to follow, but you will also be winning more often at home.