ALTRUISM: IT'S GOOD TO BE GOOD!

Did you know that if you are a retired Boomer it is good to be good? Keeping this sage advice in mind, during this economic crisis most Boomers including myself will be a lot happier if we avoid becoming preoccupied with our situation and remember there are people around us who are far worse off. As each day brings news of layoffs across every industry and region of the country with many families no longer able to meet basic needs there are many opportunities in our communities to help. I know where I live many churches and synagogues sponsor food drives for needy families and depend on volunteers to collect deliver food to those who need it. There are undoubtedly similar opportunities to serve others in your community.

Each of us has a set of unique talents and abilities developed over the course of a lifetime. During these difficult times we have an obligation to utilize those skills to help others in need. All it takes is a willing heart and the realization that when we act on behalf of our best intentions we benefit at least as much and probably more than those we serve. Almost every research study I have read, most notably the Harvard Study on Aging, agrees with this point suggesting that altruism is one of the key factors promoting happiness and well-being especially for seniors, i.e. Boomers in their Second Half. Altruism is good for us because when we are helping others we become less absorbed in our daily troubles and concerns which, when compared to the plight of others can seem trivial and unimportant. And, for you hedonists out there, altruism makes us happy because it’s wired into the brain. This was the conclusion of a study conducted by the US Government National Institutes of Health in which volunteers were asked to imagine two scenarios. One was keeping a large amount of cash for themselves another was giving it away. The study found that the more generous scenario activated a primitive part of the brain that usually lights up in response to food or sex!.

Alexis DeTocqueville, who traveled throughout the United States in the early 19th century, observd that we were a nation who believed neighbor should help neighbor during tough times whether it meant lending a shoulder to help push a wagon out of the mud or share flour when food ran out or console a wife whose husband died from fever. According to DeTocqueville, helping was more than a matter of survival it was a moral obligation and part of the American character, lest we forget. So if you find yourself endlessly ruminating about the economy and the market and putting yourself in a lousy mood get up, get out and get going and do something for your neighbor. And while you are doing it remember what Albert Schweitzer said, “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve others.”