In my life I've learned that true happiness comes from giving.

“In my life I’ve learned that true happiness comes from giving. Helping others along the way makes you evaluate who you are. I think that love is what we’re all searching for. I haven’t come across anyone who didn’t become a better person through love.” Thus spoke Marla Gibbs, an actress and woman of heart, whose words ring not as the boast of fame but as the humble wisdom of a soul seasoned by compassion. In this declaration, she unveils a truth that all the sages, prophets, and poets have known: that happiness, in its purest form, is born not of gain, but of giving. For life’s deepest joy is not found in the treasures we keep, but in the love we share and the kindness we sow along the way.

Marla Gibbs, known to the world as a star of stage and screen, rose from humble beginnings, facing struggle, perseverance, and triumph. Yet through all her achievements, she discovered that the measure of life’s worth is not fame or fortune, but the quiet glow of a generous heart. Her words spring from the ancient well of human wisdom — from the same truth spoken by saints and philosophers: that love is the fountain of transformation. When she says that “helping others makes you evaluate who you are,” she reminds us that service is not a burden, but a mirror. Through it, we see our truest selves.

To give is to live — this is the message that echoes through time. The ancients taught that the soul grows only when it reaches outward. In the teachings of Confucius, we find that “He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own.” Likewise, Jesus of Nazareth taught that love of neighbor is the essence of divine law. Gibbs, in her own modern voice, carries that same eternal melody. She has seen that giving — whether it be time, care, or forgiveness — enriches not only the receiver, but the giver most of all. For when one helps another rise, one’s own spirit ascends as well.

Consider the story of Albert Schweitzer, the philosopher-physician who left behind a life of comfort in Europe to serve the sick in Africa. His work was hard, his conditions poor, yet he wrote, “The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” In the same way, Gibbs’ truth shines forth: true happiness cannot be bought or claimed; it must be created through love in action. The act of giving breaks the walls of self-centeredness and opens the heart to the beauty of our shared humanity.

When Gibbs speaks of love, she does not mean the fleeting passion of romance, but the enduring, selfless force that binds all living beings. Love, she says, is what we are all searching for — and indeed, it is the pulse of the universe itself. It transforms anger into understanding, isolation into connection, emptiness into meaning. She tells us that she has never met anyone who did not become better through love, and this, too, is an eternal truth. For love refines the soul as fire purifies gold; it draws out gentleness, patience, forgiveness — virtues that cannot be taught by command, only awakened through compassion.

And yet, to love and give requires courage. In a world that often prizes self-interest, the giver may be mocked, the lover wounded. But those who persist in generosity and love discover an invincible peace. Their joy does not depend on what they receive, but on the knowledge that they have added light to the world. Such joy is not the laughter of fleeting pleasure, but the quiet contentment that follows every good deed — a peace that rests upon the conscience like sunlight upon water.

Therefore, my children, let this teaching take root in your hearts: if you wish to find happiness, seek it not in the mirror of self, but in the eyes of those you uplift. Practice giving, not because it earns praise, but because it is your nature as a soul to share. When you help others, pause and look inward — see how your own heart grows, how your burdens lighten. When you love, even in small ways, you become part of the great harmony that binds all life.

And let the words of Marla Gibbs be your guide: “True happiness comes from giving.” Give of your time, your compassion, your understanding. Forgive quickly. Listen deeply. Love freely. For in doing so, you will not only make others better — you will become better yourself. And in the gentle rhythm of that giving and growing, you will find the secret that sages have whispered for ages: that love is both the journey and the destination, and the heart that gives is the heart that is truly alive.