I sometimes use a story at baptisms about a little puppy that noticed that whenever he was happy, his tail wagged, so he thought he had discovered the secret to happiness. One day he shared the secret of happiness with an older dog. He said, "I have learned that the best thing for a dog is to be happy, and that happiness is in my tail. So I am going to chase my tail; and when I catch it, I shall have
happiness. The old dog replied, "I too believe that happiness is a marvelous thing for a dog, and that happiness is in my tail. But I have noticed that whenever I chase my tail, it keeps running away from me; but when I go about my business, it follows me wherever I go The need for meaning is not a biological need like the need for food and air. Neither is it a psychological need, like the need for acceptance and self esteem. It is a religious need, an ultimate thirst for our souls. It was St Augustine who wrote, ‘My soul is restless O God, until it finds its rest in thee’ St Augustine – a maverick philosopher, who lived the wild life of wine, women and song, who had his mother St Monica’s heart broken as she prayed that one day he would discover a meaning to his life – her prayers were answered, he found God, or God found him and the rest is as they say history – he became one of the great Saints and Scholars and his legacy lives on to this day.