I guess I would say true happiness is to love and be loved. Of

“I guess I would say true happiness is to love and be loved. Of course, having enough money for food, shelter, health care and things like that all help, but that is more about security.” – Jason Becker

In the quiet wisdom of these words, spoken by Jason Becker, there lies a truth as old as humanity itself — that the heart’s greatest treasure is not gold, but love. Becker, a man who once commanded the world with the fire of his music, speaks from a place beyond worldly wealth and physical power. Stricken by illness, stripped of movement, he learned what many never do — that true happiness does not rest upon the abundance of possessions, but upon the depth of human connection. His words are not born of theory, but of lived revelation: that to love and be loved is the highest form of wealth the soul can attain.

From the dawn of time, sages, poets, and wanderers have sought the secret of happiness. Kings built empires in its pursuit; philosophers wrote volumes trying to define it. Yet again and again, the wise returned to one truth: that love, freely given and humbly received, is the fountain from which joy flows. The ancient Greeks called it agape — a divine love that transcends self-interest. The mystics of the East spoke of compassion as the mirror of enlightenment. And now, in the modern age, Becker’s gentle voice joins this timeless chorus, reminding us that security may sustain life, but love gives it meaning.

In his youth, Jason Becker was a prodigy — a guitarist whose talent seemed limitless. But at the height of his rise, he was struck by ALS, a disease that slowly took away his ability to move, to play, even to speak. For most, such a fate would have been a descent into despair. Yet from his stillness, Becker created music of astonishing beauty, composed with his eyes through the language of technology. How? Because though his body faltered, his spirit was nourished by love — by his family, his friends, and the enduring devotion of those who refused to let his voice fade. Through their love, he found happiness even in the shadow of loss, and through his love for them, he continued to create.

This is the lesson of the ancients made flesh: love transforms suffering into grace. A life built only on material security may be safe, but it is not rich. Money may purchase comfort, but it cannot warm a lonely heart. It can feed the body but not the soul. In the marketplace of the modern world, where people measure worth in coins and possessions, Becker’s wisdom cuts through like a prophet’s cry: “Security without love is survival, not life.” It is a reminder that when we seek happiness through things alone, we chase shadows, while love — invisible, fragile, yet eternal — is the light that makes all else visible.

Consider also the tale of Victor Frankl, the philosopher who endured the horrors of the concentration camps. Surrounded by suffering and death, he wrote that what sustained him was love — the thought of his wife, the memory of her smile, the belief that love could outlast cruelty. From this revelation, he declared that “those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear almost any ‘how.’” Becker’s truth flows from the same source: when all else is stripped away, love remains the final sanctuary of the human heart.

And yet, Becker does not deny the importance of security. He acknowledges that food, shelter, and health are the foundation upon which life stands. These are not luxuries, but necessities — the earth that allows love to take root. But he separates them from happiness. For while security can protect us from fear, it cannot create joy. It is the soil, not the bloom. Once our needs are met, happiness is found not in accumulation, but in connection — in giving and receiving love without measure.

Therefore, children of the future, let this truth dwell in your hearts: seek love above all else, and use wealth only as a servant, never as a master. Cherish those who walk beside you; give your time, your compassion, your presence. Do not trade the warmth of human closeness for the cold glitter of success. When you love deeply, you build a fortress that no misfortune can breach. When you are loved, even in suffering, you possess a joy that no power can destroy.

And so, the wisdom of Jason Becker shall endure: true happiness is to love and be loved, while all else — money, comfort, fame — serves merely to sustain the body. Love is the breath of the soul, the melody that survives when all other music fades. Guard it, nurture it, and let it guide your days. For in the end, when all the world’s treasures have turned to dust, love alone will remain — eternal, radiant, and free.