More Valuable Than Money? Meaningful Relationships
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
I am regularly awed by the famous Harvard University study over 80 years ago. The study followed over 700 men from different social strata to see what provides human fulfillment. Sadly, 80 years ago, it seemed appropriate to exclude women, but the study remains inspiring despite this severe limitation. The study was careful to include men with many financial advantages and those who grew up with more struggles. What surprised the reader at the end of the 80 years was the commonality of the men.
Whether the participants were raised in wealthy or humble circumstances, the results of what provided joy or sorrow, fulfillment or despair were about the same. Neeramitra Reddy, in her article “An 890-Year Harvard Study Reveals the Secret to Long-Term Happiness,” quotes the director of the Harvard Study, Dr. Robert Waldinger. Waldinger emphatically states, “The clearest message that we get from this 80-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”
The relationships described in the study made a lasting difference when they were deep and trusting. The sheer number of close friends didn’t make an appreciable difference, but the quality of those friendships was pivotal. Reddy describes quality relationships as “Raw vulnerability. Comfort with being seen for who you truly are. The safety of sharing the most private of things. Matching intellectual and emotional depths. Infectious positivity.” Sadly, our contemporary society is described as isolating, where relationships are hard to find and harder to nurture.
In the limited relationships of our society, the Christian faith steps into the void. The Christian faith is based on the affirmation that we are all children of God, made in the One’s divine image. Further, people of faith are called by God to live in a community. God knows the vital need to live in a relationship. The key to a meaningful life is an intimate relationship with God and God’s children. Christ’s churches remain a place where relationships are valued and easily nurtured. Where else can you turn where people of all ages are called to embrace one another with divine empathy? If you want meaning, fulfillment, and happiness in life, reach out to the church and find the relationships that make life worth living.
