Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it.

The wise broadcaster and moral philosopher Bernard Meltzer, a man known for his compassion and insight into the human heart, once said: “Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it.” These simple words, tender and profound, hold within them the wisdom of ages. For what is happiness, if not a flame meant to be passed from one soul to another? Meltzer reminds us that joy, like love, cannot live in isolation—it breathes only when it is given, and it grows only when it is shared. In this truth lies the essence of what it means to be human: that the heart finds fulfillment not in possession, but in connection.

In the image of the kiss, Meltzer speaks with poetic precision. A kiss, after all, cannot be experienced alone—it exists only in the meeting of two beings, in the moment of mutual giving and receiving. So too with happiness: it cannot flourish in solitude or hoarded in secret. The one who seeks joy for himself alone will find it fleeting and hollow, like trying to hold sunlight in closed hands. But the one who gives joy freely—to comfort another, to lift a spirit, to share laughter—will find his happiness returning a hundredfold. The ancients would call this the law of the soul: that what we give of love, gratitude, and joy becomes the very measure of what we receive.

Meltzer’s wisdom is rooted not in philosophy alone, but in the eternal rhythm of life itself. Nature mirrors this truth in every breath. The flower releases its fragrance to the air, and by giving, it fulfills its purpose. The sun gives its warmth without demand, and in doing so, it nourishes the world. If the sun hoarded its light, the earth would perish in cold. So too, when the human heart withholds its joy, the spirit grows dim. To share happiness is not merely an act of kindness—it is an act of survival, for joy that is unshared soon turns to loneliness.

History gives us countless examples of this sacred exchange. Consider Mother Teresa, who walked among the poorest and most forgotten of the world. She owned nothing, yet radiated happiness that touched millions. Her joy was not born of comfort or luxury, but of giving—of seeing light in others and reflecting it back to them. She once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” By sharing her heart, she transformed not only the lives of others but her own. Her joy was not diminished by giving—it was deepened, multiplied, sanctified. Her life was living proof of Meltzer’s teaching: that happiness reaches its highest form only when it is shared.

Yet, this lesson is not reserved for saints. It is for all who walk this earth and long for meaning. In the smallest acts—the smile given to a stranger, the forgiveness offered to a friend, the time spent listening to another’s sorrow—happiness awakens and flows. Those who isolate themselves in pursuit of joy will find only emptiness, but those who extend their joy outward create ripples that return to them as peace. Even in hardship, one can share hope; even in loss, one can offer understanding. In this way, happiness ceases to be a fleeting emotion and becomes a way of being, a light that endures.

To live by Meltzer’s wisdom is to become a vessel of connection. Each day, seek not merely to be happy, but to make others happy. Share your laughter, your gratitude, your kindness. Give compliments freely; offer encouragement without measure. Let your joy be like the kiss Meltzer spoke of—a gesture of warmth, of life, of mutual awakening. For joy that is shared becomes infinite; it transcends the self and joins the eternal current of goodness that runs through all living things.

So, my children, remember this: happiness was never meant to be caged within the self. Like love, it is a living force, and it withers if kept from others. Do not wait for joy to come before you share it—share it, and it will come. For the act of giving joy is itself the birth of joy. Bernard Meltzer teaches us that the secret to fulfillment lies not in what we receive, but in what we offer. Give, and you will know abundance. Smile, and you will find peace. Kiss the world with kindness, and the world will kiss you back with light.

And thus, let this truth guide your days: “Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it.” Let it remind you that every act of generosity is an act of joy, and every joy shared is a seed of eternity. For the heart that gives without fear will never be empty, and the soul that loves without measure will dwell forever in the radiant embrace of happiness itself.