Zimbabwe, which is gripped by hyperinflation, and has recently seen a controversial presidential election marred by violence, was found to be the least happy nation amongst the countries covered by the survey.
I met a retired, gray-haired, thick-glasses mathematician from Denmark on the flight from Ecuador to Miami in January. He was wildly scribbling away in his notebook, dissecting a complex math problem, while I sketched a story and poetry about who I thought the man was sitting next to me.
Following our writing exercises, we spoke for nearly the entire flight, separating fact from fiction and exchanging email addresses.
Erek is agnostic, pushed away from God following the atrocities of WWII, a common story of many Europeans. He also struggles with the co-habitation of science and spirituality, a spiritual barrier to many highly-educated intellectuals with technically brilliant minds.
However, he was very interested in the story of the Waodani, of murder and forgiveness and restoration, told best through the book I was reading, Through Gates of Splendor. We've since exchanged numerous emails, mainly about the situation in Zim and world policies, issues where he is far more educated than myself.
To tangent, the BBC's study doesn't link money to happiness. Instead, it's "freedom."
"Personal freedom is even more important, and it's freedom in all kinds of ways. Political freedom, like with democracy and freedom of choice."It's interesting to note what Jesus said and did about both issues, combating poverty and human authority. But surprisingly, a common thread of the Zimbabweans I know, is that despite the heavy yoke (slavery) the authorities attempt to place on them, they are "free."
The study also found that the countries at the bottom of the list all struggle with widespread poverty or authoritarian governments.
"If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -Jesus, John 8:36
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