The Pursuit of Happiness

Sunday’s Dallas Morning News printed two feature stories, one of which sparked my intellect, and the other which moved my heart and left me weeping.

“Happiness, a buyer’s guide” was Drake Bennett’s article on the correlation between happiness and money. He quotes a lot of research. Whether or not money makes you happy depends on how you spend it. Buying things may give momentary gratification but does not bring happiness. Having pleasant experiences to look back on, especially if shared with loved ones or friends, leads to a happy life.

Ladies, instead of buying that new pair of shoes, take a friend out for a nice dinner. The first time you wear the shoes, you will see someone wearing an even more attractive pair, which will make you want to buy more. But you will remember the good time you and your friend had forever.

In the same newspaper Lee Hancock told the story of T. K. and Deidra Laux. Their first baby was stillborn, and she learned during her second pregnancy that the child in her womb had a rare genetic condition, tritomy 13. The baby would probably be born dead or would only live a few days. Deidra decided to carry the baby to term.

Thomas was a seven-pound red-head with a badly deformed mouth, six fingers on each hand, and deformed heart valves. He struggled for each breath. The Lauxes were grateful for his milky eyes. Many tritomy 13 babies have no eyes.

Thomas’s life was short. His parents spent every hour with him, cuddling him, loving him, showing him the world. T. K. even took his son outside to show him the grass and let him feel the fresh air. Thomas lived for five days.

“We never knew we could love that much,” Deidra said. “Our son brought us together and taught us how to be a family. Thomas was a miracle from the moment he was conceived. We are better because Thomas existed.”

How many of us in our pursuit of happiness forget other people? How many of us can say the world is better because we existed?