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A short article titled “If you’re happy and you know it, you’re probably in Finland “caught my eye in this morning’s newspaper.  According to the World Happiness Report 2025, America didn’t make it in the top 10 happiest nations, but Mexico and Costa Rica did for the first time.  We didn’t even make it into the top 20, but Canada, Ireland, and the Czech Republic did.

Now, I’ll just bet you a Tickle Me Elmo doll that some of you will say, “Well, that report is some liberal mumbo jumbo,” or a few conservatives will declare, “Well, all those unhappy folks need to move to Finland!” Thus proving that examining everything through a polarized lens affects our life’s joy.

We are the wealthiest country in the world, yet our happiness needs to go into rehab.  If my grandmother were here today, she would say, “It goes to show you money isn’t all it’s cracked up to be!” Our President says, “America is entering a new golden age.  We are going to become wealthier than ever before!”

Oh, it will be nice to get out of debt and put us on a savings track, but will it improve our mental health, increase our joy, and will the money draw interest in the form of kindness?  What good is gold if our hearts are made of cold steel? 

Our distrust, division, and desire for revenge are diminishing our happiness.  Our need to be “right” leads us away from God’s righteousness and from caring for those who are less fortunate or different from our idealized vision of American life.

Racism and antisemitism are raising their ugly heads in our backyards, and we all know how that will go.  It won’t go.  And we wonder why we aren’t happy.

Suicide rates continue to rise as hopelessness continues its mighty death march.  Children wielding guns they shouldn’t possess while poverty fuels their increasing anger.  Bullying in schools and on the internet leads to loneliness and depression in our youngest children.  How can anyone be happy when their children are not?   Where do those bullying children get such hurtful messages?  We know the answer.  Should we be surprised by our unhappiness if hate exists within our homes?

Is it uplifting to spread rumors, foster distrust, mock others, bully, engage in name-calling, and pass judgment on people we don’t know? 

If so, how does that spread joy?

We must unite to set aside our self-centered political and cultural ideologies and focus on caring for one another.  Our biases should be discarded, as history has repeatedly shown that they lead to destruction rooted in hatred.

Jesus never demanded us to worship him; instead, he called us to follow him.  He taught us to love as he loved and to live by his example, for it is in doing so that we find true contentment.  We are encouraged to give to the poor, love the outcast, heal the sick, and free the oppressed.  He gave us one commandment that can rejuvenate our happiness if we put it into practice: “Love thy neighbor.” This commandment has no exceptions.

We will never be on the “happy list” if we are unwilling to shift our focus from political insight to setting our sights on God.

The happiest people I know are generous and eager to help others.  They are always ready to assist a neighbor in need or comfort a child and never overlook those who have less.  Kindness is at the core of their lives, and their beliefs inspire them to positively impact the world, one act of love at a time.  These individuals are the foundation of both a strong and a happy nation.

Today, I listen to conversations; if a group isn’t discussing politics, they have little to say.  They often talk over one another, making point after point, yet miss the main point.  Are they generating constructive ideas to help their neighbors, or are they merely rearranging words to foster more distrust and doubt?  Skepticism, conspiracy, anger, and bigotry are significant barriers to joy.  The more we spread these negatives, the more tears we create.

We don’t need to move to Finland or Mexico to find happiness; we can create it here in America if we desire to.  Are we willing to look within ourselves and make the necessary changes to benefit our own lives and the future of our country?

Let’s ask ourselves daily if we are following the Lord’s instructions.  Did we notice the cherry tree blooming in the yard, or were we focused on the news all day?  Are we happier holding on to the gold in our closets, or do we find more joy donating to those in need?  Are we more content spreading negativity and division, or should we remain silent for our children’s future happiness?  Isn’t that what matters?