HAPPINESS INDEX
One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is to love our spouse dearly and take care of our marriage. A happy marriage is like a sanctuary for our children. The stability that it provides enables them to take on the challenges they encounter outside the home. When they know that they can run to their parents (and siblings) for comfort at the end of the day, they are more confident in standing their ground in times of peer pressure, temptations, and other forms of self doubt.
This month of August reminds me of these two very important blessings – my husband who turned gold a couple of days ago, and our marriage which is turning 22 this week. In the last few weeks my sons and I prepared for his semi-surprise party (semi because he knew there was going to be a party but was not part of the preparations). Amidst all my sons’ long tests, school papers, extra curricular activities and my own to-do lists, we were able to pull it off.
Hats off to my sons who were the performers, audio-video men, MCs, researchers, and my co-hosts during the party. My biggest thanks goes to our family (both the Fausto and the Fres sides), his friends from high school, college, former and current officemates, people from the finance industry he deals with and who have also become friends. All of them gamely took part in the program presenting a number in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s! Their wonderful messages warmed not only Marvin’s heart but mine and the boys’ too. It was a great opportunity for our sons to hear other people talk about their father. I’m sure they appreciate their father even more now. They heard people talk about their father’s achievements and most importantly, how he affected their lives not only in terms of career but as persons brought about by his friendship.
In his acknowledgment, Marvin talked about Happiness Index. (He’s really a fund manager at heart that he tried to explain his happiness in terms of index!) He said that it’s his life project to be happy. And the easiest way to be happy is to make others happy. He went on to say that if his family is happy, then he is happy. If the people he works with are happy, then he gets results and he’s happy. If he makes BDO (his employer happy) then he is also happy. He also mentioned that the most valuable commodity in the world is not gold (the theme of the celebration) but time. And because he realizes this, he makes sure that he uses his time in a manner that will give him the best returns in terms of increasing his Happiness Index.
All the kind and generous words, the fun watching his family and friends perform on his special day, the dancing and partying definitely made his Happiness Index shoot to the roof on his golden day. It could have been his all-time high despite the big fall in the PSEI (Philippine Stock Exchange Index).
When I look back at our 22 years of marriage, I can honestly say that he must have always had that happiness project all these years. I’m so thankful I married a Happy Man. Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary Marvin!
Rose
