Promoting a healthy lifestyle among officers and their families has been high on the Force's agenda during the past few years. And in my view, a healthy life is in essence a simple one which is enjoying what you've already got instead of longing for more material satisfaction.

There is a wide misconception happiness comes with money, power, social status or a strong body. This is not necessarily true.

According to a survey in the United States, most Americans think money is all-important and the more money you've got, the happier you are.

However, this was contradicted by the findings in another survey which showed respondents with an annual income of over US$70,000 (about HK$530,000) were far more dissatisfied with their income than those earning less.

This is strong evidence money does not necessarily mean happiness.

In New York, a self-help group was set up by jackpot winners to help alleviate their colleagues' gloom. Many felt insecure and feared swindlers and those coveting their money. They also worried they might get lost with the huge money they had won and would no longer be able to live a simple life.

However, I am not promoting poverty because no deprived person can feel happy.

At the height of the American Civil War, President Lincoln was asked what he felt happiest about, he replied: "To me, happiness is being able to relax, be sufficiently clothed and fed and to live a simple life."

Let me tell you a little story. Once there was a mother who raised her only son all by herself with little means. She used to wake him up every morning to go to school and later to go to work.

One day, the son said to his mother: "Mum, you've been living a hard life all these years and I really feel sorry about that. I'm going to start a business with my friends which will be a sure success and we'll be much better off than we are now."

His mother asked: "Are you going to make money the proper way?" He said: "There's nothing improper in the business, just that someone might feel unfair."

"My dear, I've been waking you up all these years, haven't I?"

"Sure."

"Well, when I wake you up every morning I feel good because I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. But I'm afraid you won't need to be woken up anymore if you start your business because what you'd be doing might make you sleepless."

This rang a bell with the son who promised he would not do anything his mother might feel unhappy about.

As you can see, there's virtually no point in making a lot of money and living an extravagant life if you end up feeling bad about yourself.

This was proved by the great philosopher Socrates and the late Mother Teresa, both of whom led an extremely simple life with bare necessities and yet were far more happy than the average person.

You and I are no philosopher or sage, but we can still find true happiness by living a simple yet rich life and come to realise what life is all about.




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