At the end of the day, most people just want to be happy. They may chase it in different ways: money, travel, kids, career achievements. But almost everyone would agree that living a happy life is the thing that will matter most to us in our dying days.

And yet, life is long and full of seasons. There are ups and downs. Struggles and triumphs. When we’re in the thick of it, it’s hard to have perspective on whether we’re really living the life that we want, the one that will bring us happiness and joy.

Who better to learn from than the people who have lived through it all before us?

Three generations of women discuss 90-year-old grandma’s happiest days

Therapist and relationship coach Deborah Krevalin recently cozied up with her daughter, Samantha, and her own 90-year-old mother, Ruth Kenler.

The two younger women had a question for their matriarch:

“When were you the happiest in your life?” Samantha asked.

“Probably when my life was the most hectic,” Kenler answered without missing a beat. “My husband was still in medical training and I was in charge of three children of three different ages. We had very little financial resources, every part of my life was very, very difficult, but it was so full and so happy.”

For her part, Deborah Krevalin had to agree: “I still like to be hopeful that the best years are ahead of me, yet I was the happiest when I was just raising my three children and working my ass off, and didn’t have tons of help.”

“It’s fulfilling,” Kenler said.

@debkrevalincounseling We asked my 90 year-old mother when she was the happiest in her life.........

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