What does ‘Life is good’ really mean?

“Life is good.”

I’m sure most of you have heard this motto before. I have seen it recently on a car bumper sticker, on a T-shirt and as a meme.

This may seem like an odd time to say “life is good,” in the midst of a pandemic, a confrontational election season, and a weak economy, but what makes life good is relationships.

We see this explained in the Book of Genesis, where God says, “It is not right that man should be alone.” We are all meant to be in relationships with others. We have friends, co-workers, siblings and extended family, but the most essential relationships we are in, are with our family, regardless of whether they live with us or not. It is with our families that we experience trust, respect, compassion and genuine love.

A saint I actually met once, John Paul II, once said: “As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live. Whether we like it or not, families form us into who we are today. We certainly may not always like all the members of our family — no one does — but they are our family. There is just something so integral to our shared understanding of family that none of us can imagine life without our family.

Life is good when we are in relationships, most commonly with our nuclear family. We know everyone has flaws, there are no perfect humans, but we accept them for who they are, and love them in spite of their imperfections.

Life is good when we know we are loved.

Life is good when we have our basic needs met.

Life is good, for the vast majority of us, when we see all the good in our life, first, before the negative.

Life is good when we can recognize the good in other people, first, before the negative.

Life is good when our lenses for looking at the world are trust, respect, compassion and genuine love.

Who can you show love to today? Who can you extend compassion to today?

The world is a better place when we “love our neighbor as ourselves,” regardless of who our neighbors are or what they look like.

When does the statement “Life is good” work in your life? Even during a pandemic?

Know that you are loved by God!

“From the Pulpit” runs on the Saturday faith pages and features reflections from area religious leaders. To contribute, contact Life Editor Meredith Williams at 701-429-1749 or life@postbulletin.com .