What is 'A Good Life'?

Playa del Yucatan, Cancun

Ever since I can remember, I have always wanted to go on a mission trip. Fifteen months ago, fresh out of high school, I decided to make my dream a reality. I got my passport, did research on different mission organizations, set up a fundraising account on GoFundMe.com, reserved plane tickets, and packed everything on the suggested list provided by the mission office. Looking back now, it is all a blur: kissing my parents goodbye, checking my luggage, boarding the plane and saying goodbye to Florida as the plane flew over the Gulf of Mexico to what was to be my home for the next four months: Cancun.

What did I expect out of this endeavor? I was leaving my family and friends (and a boyfriend who did NOT want to see me go), delaying my admission to college, going out of the United States for the first time to a country I knew little about, and hoping to return somewhat tanner than my skin tone normally permits. I had goals in mind: to deepen my relationship with God by giving of my time and talent to those in need, to learn what I could of the Spanish language and Mexican culture,  and experiencing mission life to explore as a possible career path.

Locals in the pueblo Tres Reyes,Quintana Roo,
with two missionaries from my group.
(Left to right: Alan, Erica, Dani, Blanca Flor, Lucy, Cami) 

Though over the course of the semester I did accomplish my small list, there was something else that I found that I was not expecting at all: friendship.
I was not alone on my missionary quest. Seven other girls, most from Mexico and one from Ecuador, also signed up for the same semester as me. Over the course of our four months living, eating, sleeping, praying, cleaning, and laughing in the same house, we became fast friends and sisters. Through teaching catechism, speaking with students, battling mosquito bites, supervising Bible studies, and torching tarantulas, we developed a strong relationship between the eight of us that continues to unite us in friendship and faith.

Carlos, one of the children in the free daycare we worked in.

In my own experience, I have not only had good relationships with my missionary friends, but also friends from school, cousins and relatives, and coworkers. I believe that having quality relationships and connections can not only make one happy, but also make one feel more fulfilled and give a sense of greater purpose in life. In addition, it can significantly benefit one’s health down the road, including memory, longevity, and overall physical wellness. (Walldinger)  

I find great purpose when I spend time with and help others. It is not a pursuit for possessions or activities that I feel will benefit me, but rather a question of, ‘What can I do today to serve those around me/make them happy?’ It is in giving yourself to others that meaning and purpose is found, despite the inconvenience or lack of happiness that may cause. (Smith) But I disagree with saying that happiness (benefiting from others/being a ‘taker’) is essentially incompatible with having a meaningful life (helping others/being a ‘giver’). Not that the two are mutually exclusive, but that it is hard to feel good when you are constantly dealing with children and high stress levels. This is true; however in the long term, some people look back and say that despite such circumstances, they were happy in their service to others. Happiness is being compassionate and a having good heart (Preston), and is associated with finding inner peace (Kolakowski). No, we cannot ignore the fact that there is human suffering and misery in the world, but this does not need to preclude us from enjoying what we can while doing what we can to help those in need.

Perhaps complete, true happiness (where worldwide everyone is in an emotional happy state) has never been and will never be a reality. Perhaps it is only something we can only imagine. Even so, a God who created humans to love and be loved would not want to see those who have the opportunity to be happy and find meaning waste it by constantly worrying about things out of their control.

Mural we painted in Tres Reyes during our last few days in the pueblo.
 "Christ is not worth the pain; he is worth life."

Works Cited

Kolakowski, Lesek. "Is God Happy?" The New York Review of Books. 20 Dec. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

Preston, Douglas. "I Took the Dalai Lama to a Ski Resort and He Told Me the Meaning of Life." CultureBox. 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

Smith, Emily. "There's More To Life Than Being Happy." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 9 Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.

Waldinger, Robert. "What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness." TED Talks. Web. 21 Jan. 2016.