Relationships Over Riches
In my public speaking, a common thread I like to pull is one revolving around the science of happiness. Specifically, the decades of research conducted to figure out if money makes us happy. It does, and it doesn’t. It does……until our basic needs are met (plus a little more). Then, additional money doesn’t make us much happier. There’s more to unpack here in a future post, but I want to get to the next part of what I share in my public talks.
If money doesn’t make us happy, what does? Behavioral scientists have found several things that help drive happiness in ways money cannot. Towards the top of the list is genuine relationships. You know, the real deal, be honest with each other, support one another through thick and thin, accept each other even if we disagree type of relationships. Science shows those types of relationships significantly drive happiness.
Last night, I attended the wedding of a dear friend. Her name is Megan. I met Megan shortly after she turned 15 years old. She was a youth group kid and I was one of her leaders. To this day, I still can’t put my finger on why she and I connected so well. I was there when she got her license, when she started dating her first boyfriend, when she won the state basketball championship, when she welcomed my twin babies as if they were her own flesh and blood, when she graduated high school, when she started her student teaching, when she graduated from college, when she got her first adult job, and when she met the man she would soon call her husband. We’ve been through a lot together!
Today, she’s my close friend and my little sister. And her husband? His name is Collin and he’s like a brother to me as well. As I was sitting in the banquet hall last night, I couldn’t help but look around and think about how important so many of those people in the room are to me…..and to Megan and Collin. These people have deeply impacted my life in so many ways. It’s moments like this when I’m quickly reminded how meaningless so many of life’s “important” things are. If someone put a gun to my head, I’d take my people over all the trappings this life has to offer.
Collin and Megan, I love you and I’m proud of you!
My people, you know who you are! Thank you. You make life worth living, and you are worth far more to me than the riches of this planet can provide.