Good News, Happiness, and Living an Ethical Life

June 20, 2010

I believe in the fundamental goodness of humans. I believe that we can live without supernaturalism while we affirm our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.  I look forward to exploring these beliefs more on August 20 when I return with a sermon on current developments in UU Humanism.

Meanwhile, today I will tell you of my belief in Good News and Happiness.

The German writer Anne Frank inspires me with these words.  “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!”

What better time of year for a casual celebration of good news than June?  The weather is often delightful, trees and plants are flourishing, wildlife and humans are giving birth, and graduations and weddings are being celebrated in abundance. 

Many of us are blessed with warm and loving families.  Share that love today as we honor, thank, and remember the fathers who gave us life.

Think of all the programs, services, and things we rely on and may take for granted.  Reliable and efficient electricity and natural gas to power our homes.  Telephones, the Internet, tweets, and twitters.  Up-to-the-minute news and weather on your radio, cable, or satellite TV.  Clean tap water at our faucets.  Emergency responders, two fantastic hospitals, and numerous pharmacies if needed.  How about our cars and roadways?  And let's remember and support the delightful arts programs in our city.  Individually, each of these modern systems is extraordinary; taken together, I believe that all of this is a human miracle worth appreciating and being thankful for.  So I thank any and all of you who are involved in developing, operating, or maintaining the infrastructure we rely so heavily on.

Here at the Fellowship, our membership count has reached a new level. I believe that the love, spiritualism, and energy brought by these new members can only add to our happiness, well-being, and strong social action programs. 

I believe that our still-young, democratic nation also has lots of good news to share.  Education, health care, national security, and social support systems are quite good, and in store for improvement.  Literacy continues to increase, diseases are being conquered, and there may be an end in sight for the two wars we are involved in. 

I believe that some of the best news comes from around this beautiful planet we live on.  Hundreds of millions of people are lifting themselves out of poverty and now enjoy many of the basic services we take for granted. Population growth is slowing, leading to a better balance between finite natural resources and human needs.

In closing, let me read to you from Albert Schweitzer.  “Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” 

Do what you love to do for others, and be happy.