A Philosophy for a Happy Life, by Sam Berns
Sam Berns died at age 17, in his old age. His rare illness did not stop him from having a purposeful life. Discover Sam's philosophy for a happy life.
Happiness isn’t something that just happens to us, but it is within reach for everyone.?
Even during the most tumultuous periods of life, we all have the power to make small changes in our behavior and mindset that can set us on course for a happier life.
Sam Berns's life was improbable.?
He was born with progeria, a disease of rapid premature aging that only about 250 children worldwide are known to have.
Even more improbable: both his parents were pediatricians, well-placed in the medical mecca of Boston and hell-bent on finding answers to their son's condition.
Even though progeria led to many obstacles in his life, Berns said that if there’s one thing he wants people to know about him, it’s that he lives “a very happy life.”?
Berns greatly exceeded the life expectancy of a person with the disease, which hardly exceeds 13 years.
Children with progeria suffer from conditions typically seen in much older patients, including hip dislocation and stiff joints. But progeria proves fatal because premature aging results in severe, progressive cardiovascular disease that leads to premature heart attacks or strokes.
Sadly, Sam Berns died in 2014, aged 17, in a physical condition identical to that of an elderly man.
Before he died, he built entire Lego towns, earned middle-school awards, played in his high-school marching band, went to the prom, and dreamed of going to MIT in hopes of becoming an inventor, according to the HBO documentary Life According to Sam.
I invite you to invest 13 minutes and take a look at his philosophy, in this TED Talk:
1. "... Be okay with what you ultimately can’t do, because there is so much you can do..."
2. "... I surround myself with people I want to be with..."
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3. "... Keep moving forward..."
"... I always try to have something to look forward to, something to strive for to make my life richer..."
Sam said he was able to get through difficult times by always having something in the future to look forward to, even if it was just a small thing like a new comic book or a football game.?
"This mentality includes staying in a forward-thinking state of mind. I try hard not to waste energy feeling badly about myself, Sam said, because when I do, I get stuck in a paradox where there is no room for happiness or any other emotion."
Sam was so positive and so optimistic about his future. "No matter what I choose to become, I believe I can change the world. And as I am striving to change the world, I will be happy."
His parents, Scott Berns and Leslie Gordon, both pediatricians, received their son's diagnosis when he was less than two years old.?
Roughly a year later, they established the?Progeria Research Foundation?in an effort to increase awareness of the condition, to promote research into the underlying causes of and possible treatments for the disease.?
Moreover, they offer resources for the support of those with progeria and their families.
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