…. happiness is love – period!

An article by Scott Stossel in a recent issue of The Atlantic reports on one of the longest-running longitudinal studies on human development. The study began in 1938 and followed the lives of 268 Harvard undergraduates (these were all men because Harvard wasn’t coed at the time) for 75 years. One of the most interesting findings was the strength of the connection between the warmth of our relationships and our health and happiness in old age. In other words, the warmer our personal relationships, the healthier and happier we are in old age. Equally as interesting is the overall conclusion of the study as stated by George Vailliant who directed the study for more than 30 years. In his own words: “The seventy-five years and twenty million dollars expended on the Grant Study points … to a straightforward five-word conclusion: ‘Happiness is love. Full stop.’ ” Or, happiness is love–period! I always find it gratifying when scientific research validates common sense.

For those of you who would like to read Scott Stossel’s full article, here’s the link: http://www.theatlantic.com