Padre's Corner - What makes a good life?
Octobre 25, 2022 - Padre James Lee, 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton Personnel Services
What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life? If you were going to be your future best self, where would you put your time and your energy?
Harvard’s Study of Adult Development is one of the longest-running studies on adult life. It tracked the lives of 724 men over 75 years.
What did the researchers learn?
Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.
There are three big lessons to be learned about relationships.
The first is that social connections are very good for us and that “loneliness kills.” It turns out people who are more socially connected to family, friends and to the community are happier, are physically healthier, and live longer than people who are less well-connected.
The second big lesson is it's not just the number of friends you have and it's not whether or not you're in a committed relationship; it's the quality of your close relationships that matters.
The third big lesson to learn about relationships and our health is good relationships don’t just protect our bodies, they protect our brains.
Relationships can be messy and complicated. It’s hard work tending to family and friends. It's also life-long; it never ends. The people tracked in this study who were happiest in retirement were the people who had actively worked to replace workmates with new playmates.
The study has shown that the people who fared the best were the people who learned in relationships with family, with friends, with community. Relationships are the key to a life of happiness and success.
Military relationships are full of the unexpected. Some of us may have additional stresses with frequent moves and long separations. We all have our own challenges. But there are many resources and ways to keep our relationships healthy.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It is a strength, not a weakness. Any relationship is a journey that takes work. Let us continue to care for one another.
You are never alone.