The Joy of Achievement

I came across Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first inaugural address a few weeks back. That is his famous "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" speech. I was impressed with much that he had to say. Last week the great Planet Money podcast at npr.org had a bit to share from an essay published in 1933 by H. L. Mencken. I highly recommend the blogpost, which can be summarized with the following excerpt.

It seems to me that the depression will be well worth its cost if it brings Americans back to their senses.

In Roosevelt's first inaugural address he shared something that agreed with the essay mentioned above and I believe is a good lesson for myself.

Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy, the moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days, my friends, will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves, to our fellow men.

I came across the same sentiments in the scriptures as I read this past week. The message has come from so many directions that it is hard to ignore. Happiness does not lie in possessions but rather in achievements and service to others. This is not the first time I have heard this, but the truth of the statement was a welcome reminder.