The philosopher-physician Richard Cabot makes a convincing case in his book “What Men Live By” that we all need four things to live a full and genuinely good life: work, play, love, and worship. And while this book was written more than a hundred years ago, the simple truth remains that we all need a modicum of work, play, love, and worship, and in the right balance, to be truly fulfilled as human beings. Men and women deprived of work grow anxious and depressed, and often turn to drugs or other forms of escape to fill their idle hours. Wise parents and good schools inculcate good work habits in their children early on. But all work and no play takes the zest out of life and all of us need some form of recreation, whether it be sports, games, or music and art, or any of the infinite variety of things that might be considered play. And who can live without love? While it may be possible to physically survive without love, a life without love is emotionally and spiritually impoverished. We are social animals, and the glue which holds us together is love, in all its forms. Finally, there is a need to recognize, and indeed to praise, some higher power. Some of us pray only in our hour of need, but all of us pray at some point in our lives, and have a hope based on faith that there is a higher power and a future life. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV – Christopher Simon
