Posted by: randallbutisingh on: June 27, 2009
“Is there a formula—some mix of love, work, and psychological adaptation—for a good life? For 72 years, researchers at Harvard have been examining this question, following 268 men who entered college in the late 1930s through war, career, marriage and divorce, parenthood and grandparenthood, and old age. Here, for the first time, a journalist gains access to the archive of one of the most comprehensive longitudinal studies in history. Its contents, as much literature as science, offer profound insight into the human condition—and into the brilliant, complex mind of the study’s longtime director, George Vaillant. (The Atlantic – June 2009)
.Atlantic Magazine published an article in June 2009, which features the results of an interesting and comprehensive 72 year old study, that began way back to 1937 and continues up to now, of the lives of 286 Harvard university graduates. Many of the study members have passed on as the study group advances in age, but the study highlights some interesting insights on their lives that we can all learn from.
What HAPPINESS is all about is the main theme of the study. Journalist Joshua Shenk, who wrote the article in Atlantic Magazine summed up the findings as: “Herein lies the key to a good life–not rules to follow, nor problems to avoid– but an engaged humility, an earnest acceptance of life’s pains and promises.”
.You can read the whole article and also look at a very interesting video with the article by going to this link : Atlantic Magazine. or clicking on the following address:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200906/happiness
If you would like to see the video that is in the article, then click on this link:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1460906593?bctid=22804415001
I do hope that you enjoy the article and the video and that it does give you some insights as to what is really important in our life journey here on Earth.
- Cyril Bryan, Guest Contributor
I must endorse Mr. Butisingh’s take on this subject. As he so poignantly asserts, “mankind is more than his corruptible body, his is immortal spirit, a spark of the Divine.”
Indeed, in the longrun, and in a much larger context, the satisfaction of sensory physical appetites and desires can provide only transitory, temporary, illusory happiness.
For longlasting, deeper emotions, one must come to terms with one’s place in the Universe ouside of the body armor. One must examine one’s inner being, one’s soul and spirit, and evaluate these within a context of Divinity.
To disregard this dimension of happiness that is of an eterrnal Nature is to perpetually come up short in pursuit of lasting satisfaction…and is to deprive oneself and one’s immediate environment of the tremendous contrbutions each of us can make in furthering true happiness for others by first finding that true flame that can burn eternal in each of us.
So true!
Everything would be superficial “Unless we reach within and touch ourselves” we will not be able to contribute to the rest of humanity.
I love it the way it was said here:
I sent my Soul through the Invisible,
Some letter of that After-life to spell:
And by and by my soul return’d to me,
And answer’d “I Myself am Heav’n and Hell”
Omar Khayyam
My own comment –
Find yourself and you will find Humanity.
Patanjali
Hi,
thanks for the post and pointing to the article! Interesting read. I just had my own shot at defining happiness: http://www.spreadinghappiness.org/2009/08/what-is-happiness/
Comments are very much welcome!
Thanks, Nick
June 28, 2009 at 12:46 am
Hi, I’d like to get in touch with Mr. Butisingh. I can’t find his e-mail address on the blog.