Florida Couple Take on Happiness Day as Personal Crusade
Scientologists Fu Mei and Jim Mathers created the Day of Happiness website and are spreading the word internationally that “it is in your power to point the way to a less dangerous and happier life” through The Way to Happiness, a nonreligious commonsense moral code written by author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Scientologists Fu Mei and Jim Mathers of Belleair, Florida, are challenging people all over the world to help others be happier on March 20, the International Day of Happiness.
And this is not an idle wish. Rather, they are backing up their good intentions with what they says is an amazing little booklet anyone can use to find greater happiness in their lives.
That booklet is The Way to Happiness, a nonreligious moral code based entirely on common sense.
The Way to Happiness is published in 111 languages and Jim uses the simple precepts of the booklet in business seminars he conducts in countries all over the world.
“It contains invaluable information on how to become more competent and capable in life,” he says. “I have also used The Way to Happiness to salvage partnerships and marriages that were falling apart.”
“For many years I’ve had the purpose of distributing a million copies of The Way to Happiness in a single day,” says Fu Mei. “I can see it resolving conflicts between people on a major scale—tearing down the other ‘Berlin walls’ between people of different nations and beliefs. What an impact it would have. When I heard that the resolution for the day was passed by the UN I thought—this is our opportunity.”
Through the campaign they have been running through Facebook and their Day of Happiness website they have helped mobilize hundreds of volunteers in countries around the world to accomplish the purpose of the day.
Pledges are pouring in from around the world. Italian volunteers plan to distribute 30,000 copies of The Way to Happiness; Macedonians 20,000; Hungary, Venezuela and Ecuador 10,000 each; Nepal and the State of Texas 5,000. Thousands more have been pledged by volunteers in the Czech Republic, Japan, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Pakistan, Kenya, India, and the Dominican Republic.
“There is so much concentration on sadness, harm and other horrible things and it’s just time to reverse that,” says Fu Mei. “People should demand that the focus goes on happiness and creation and survival. Every time I see someone do something positive for someone else I think, ‘that is what it is going to take to create an ideal world.’ I think if you’re not actively working on being happy, you have a weak foundation in your life, and that’s when it becomes easy to make the wrong choices and go downhill.”
The Mathers use The Way to Happiness to make a difference close to home as well.
“There is an entire corps of volunteers in Clearwater, Florida, who are committed to helping get this booklet into the hands of people throughout the area,” says Fu Mei.
“One time, Jim and I were part of a group of 50 volunteers of all religious denominations and backgrounds who took The Way to Happiness into an area of inner city St Petersburg,” she says. “We went door to door with the booklet and at one home there was an elderly lady—I handed her a copy of The Way to Happiness. Two weeks later I saw her at an anti-crime rally. She asked me if I remembered her and I did. She wanted to let me know that every time she felt sad, she would open her purse and pull out The Way to Happiness and just by reading it she would feel happy again.”
“We have had tremendous help from The International Way to Happiness Foundation in accomplishing this campaign,” says Jim. “And it is so exciting to see how many people have adopted this booklet as they way to make a difference on the International Day of Happiness.”
Visitors to the Mathers’ website can learn about The Way to Happiness, watch The Way to Happiness public service announcements or download a free The Way to Happiness e-book.