Article November 5, 1932 Issue

How to be Happy

CORNELIUS JAMES FITZ GERALD

The surest way to be happy is to have contentment. Many people may think that the acquisition of material things alone will bring happiness, but without the proper state of thought such things are likely to disappoint their possessor. We may sometimes consider that others are far more blessed than we are in the way of worldly wealth; but there are riches which all posses and sometimes fail to recognize. Paul gave excellent advice for enriching and uplifting thought and being happy when he said, "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these. Regardless of bank balance or worldly station, "these things" are the riches which all may possess.

One excellent way of being happy is to help someone else to be happy. As we live by the Golden Rule we cannot fail to help all with whom we come in contact to be happy, even as we would have them help us. The attitude of self-forgetfulness, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, and other admirable qualities is certain to aid in bringing happiness to others and to one's self. Being busy in this way gives one no time for discouragement and discontent; and should these claim to appear they are quickly replaced with love and joy—true riches.

We may think that the Golden Rule makes big demands, but it asks no more than we would ask for ourselves. Again, someone may say that loving an enemy is not easy, but in the light of Christian Science we learn that the enemy we need to guard against is acceptance of the argument that evil is real. It certainly would not be easy to love our so-called enemies if enmity were created by God. But we know that God made all that was made, and all that He made was good; hence, enmity is nothing more than the illusive creation of so-called mortal mind. No matter how persistently material sense testimony may argue, we have the assurance that, as Mrs. Eddy tells us in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 543), "The five corporeal senses cannot take cognizance of Spirit." Hence we cannot hold God responsible for human errors.

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