The Way to Happiness Brings Moral Precepts to Neighborhood Association

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee recently worked with a local neighborhood association to bring them all of the concepts of the common sense moral code.

The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee is always working to bring calm to neighborhoods by distributing copies of the booklet of the same name. Recently, volunteers took things a step further by speaking with community leaders, showing them each of the award winning 30 second public service announcements that illustrate the concepts in the book, and encouraging residents to take on the program themselves for their own neighborhood.

"True joy and happiness are valuable," begins the common sense guide, The Way to Happiness, written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. Since then, the book has sparked a movement and has been reprinted and passed hand to hand to a wide variety of cultures and peoples. In Tennessee, The Way to Happiness Association works with communities and neighborhoods to spread the booklet to as many people as possible. Organizers say that when the booklet is passed from hand to hand, it is like oil spread upon a raging sea, the calm flows outward and outward.

The Way to Happiness booklet details 21 precepts predicated on the fact that one's survival depends on the survival of others. According to thewaytohappiness.org, "This code of conduct can be followed by anyone, of any race, color or creed and works to restore the bonds that unite humankind." The Way to Happiness aims at giving people back a sense of what is right and wrong in a way that is easy to understand. In the three decades since it was authored, some 80 million copies of the book passed hand to hand.

Prior to showing the public service announcements, the neighborhood association was asked to share problems they face in the community. Many responses were about parenting skills, communication, and taking care of one’s own area, but still there were others who were more concerned with violence in the community. After the videos were played, the room was energized to spread these messages as they give so much hope for handling these troubles. Each resident was asked to take at least 10 booklets to share with their neighbors, and materials were soon being passed hand-to-hand, each person taking up the responsibility to share positivity.

The community plans to come together for a follow up event in March, 2020. For more information on The Way to Happiness, visit twthtn.org.