Glenn T. Stanton of the Pew Research Center Reported; “On where do Americans find most meaning in life”? The answer to this question is perhaps the greatest indicator of the kind of people we are, individually and collectively. It also telegraphs the kind of nation we are. Therefore, the answers from Americans’ on this topic, matters. So, what did the Pew Center find? Was it work, money, friends, pets, education, buying stuff, or hobbies and leisure that provided people the greatest sense of meaning and happiness? It was none of those. The absolute run-away answer was family, those enduring relationships between husbands and wives, children and parents, grandparents and grandchildren, along with uncles, aunts and cousins. When asked the open-ended question about what brings the greatest meaning to their lives, 69 percent of Americans immediately responded, FAMILY, without being prompted in any way. The next highest factor was one’s career, but by half as many votes. Third was money, but with three times fewer adults listing it compared to family. Nineteen percent said friends gave their lives a major sense of meaning, and a measly 5 percent said their pets did. I, personally, had a hard time believing pets only brought meaning to 5 % of the responders.
I believe the above research is true, because there is no question in my mind about how important family is, especially if they do things together. I have read and heard about families only getting together once or twice a year and sometimes skipping that because it may happen to be inconvenient that year, such as airline tickets being raised. etc. People whose families are a priority, regardless of airfares or the price of gas, etc. meet together every chance they get with open arms and great big hugs. Those are the families that will last for all eternity because there is love there. A family who gets together, talking about what is happening in their lives and who’s doing what have a genuine interest in each other, making everyone feel important and cared about. If one becomes sick or is in the hospital the rest of the family are there giving love and support. Even though we may not live in the same house we are family and we care. My parent’s family, of eight children, was close growing up but once we were grown and many moved away we began to lose touch and lost that family feeling. We became somewhat strangers and wrote letters about once a month. My wife and I did not want that to happen to our family, so when they were young we would get them together every Sunday for a meal and fun times together. Now they are older and have their own families. We still get them together once a month and we make sure we see them in between times.
Contrary to what the Pew Study said about pets, our family has always had pets, at least pet dogs and cats. I personally feel that families are only partial families without a pet or two. The love of their pets knows no bounds and everyone needs love. If family members don’t get enough love from parents or siblings, they know where they can get some more, that’s right from their pets. There is love aplenty for everyone, when pets are around. Pets are great teachers; teachers on how to love. They don’t hold back, they are not embarrassed about giving loves and kisses. They don’t care how you are dressed or what you look like, they just plain love everyone who will love them back. They are always happy to see and show it without embarrassment. Can dogs even be embarrassed? Who knows! Why those in the Pew study would only give pets a 5% value rating is beyond me. They gave jobs a 35% rating, jobs are not capable of love but pets are. Families without pets may have nicer furniture and cleaner homes but they have a lot less love being spread around. But! Pew was right on, on one thing, for sure, families are important, probably the very most important.