An interesting piece from Family Edge on the link between marital happiness and babies, and then some. What sort of happiness do people need vs. what they think they need? Many people will attest that developing character is more satisfying than hankering for what seems to be happiness to the mind formed by advertising and film. Marriage is supposed to make guys into men. The culture says forget that, just have playmates.
Whit Stillman’s film Metropolitan was recently discussed on Mere Comments. It had the best advice I’ve ever heard on the subject of happiness – “The last way to be happy is to make it your objective in life.”
I was unaware that “happiness” was one of the Christian virtues. Contentment is. In any event, on the happy occasion of the royal wedding earlier today, the Bishop of London spoke on the nature and purpose of marriage when he said to the bride and groom and to all those in attendance:
“In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future.”
Seeking happiness is a self-centered endeavor; cooperating with God in the procreation of new life is other-centered. Which more closely adheres to the teachings of our Lord?