Joseph Addison once said that the "[t]hree grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for." Bernard expands on these areas in several chapters. My favorite, amongst the fifty-two gems, is Chapter 2: Happiness Is... Learning to Accept the Past.
To be certain, every life has a story. Some parts are shared freely, while others are hidden in the dark. A. R. Bernard tells us: "You'll never find lasting happiness unless you learn to make peace with the past. You'll never be contented until you learn how to look back upon your own experiences — both your victories and your disappointments — with a sense of acceptance and thanksgiving. In short, you must learn how to interpret your own personal history in a positive way."
It goes without saying that a person is the product of their life experiences. Consequently, their character, self-concept and outlook on life are the by-products of how they view those experiences. I am quite sure, like many others, that I, at times, have been my own worst enemy — conceding defeat, due to fear and self-doubt, without ever being beaten by an outside force. A. R. Bernard reminds us, however, that we "[shouldn't] let [our] future be held captive by [our] past."
Page after page, Happiness Is... shows us that the story of our lives is being written one day at a time. With God's grace, that story can (and will) be a masterpiece. In Chapter 31, concentration camp survivor Corrie Ten Boom makes the following observation: "Every experience God gives us, every person he brings into our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only he can see." By the book's end, Bernard assures the reader that these words apply to everyone.
Article comments
1 - Aaron Cooper
I haven't read it yet, but Mr. Bernard's book sounds superb, from the review--beautifully written and right on target! It dovetails with my new book for parents on how to raise authentically happy children (and the mistakes parents are making these days that cripple the kids rather than help them). Bravo, Mr. Bernard!
Aaron Cooper PhD
author," I Just Want My Kids To Be Happy! Why you shouldn't say it, why you shouldn't think it, what you should embrace instead"