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Some of you read with me 40 years ago a portion of Aristotle's Ethics, a selection of passages that describe his idea of happiness. You may not remember too well.

I think goodness is about how person behaves to person, and also person to world, to nature.

Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.

Of all virtues and dignities of the mind, goodness is the greatest, being the character of the Deity; and without it, man is a busy, mischievous, wretched thing.

The last part, the part you're now approaching, was for Aristotle the most important for happiness.

Goodness is something that makes us serene and content; it is magnificent. Those who are not good are evil.

Our everyday cares, making a living, the crazy rat race of life, often make us forget the value of a good deed. Thus, the goodness that exists within each and every one of us is covered with layer upon layer of indifference and unawareness. In fact, we almost have to be reminded of the fact that goodness is there inside us.

Human nature is evil, and goodness is caused by intentional activity.

Goodness makes greatness truly valuable, and greatness makes goodness much more serviceable.