Losing My Young Son Finding Life’s Deeper Meaning

“What am I living for?”

“Why does something this painful have to happen?”

“I push myself to keep going, but inside I feel numb.”

Do you go through your day with questions like these quietly weighing on your heart?

You stay positive and you keep going. To everyone else, it looks like you’re doing alright.

But, in quiet moments, you find yourself wondering why life has to be so hard.

You don’t have to struggle through this alone.

At Happy Science, we regularly hear from people who want to understand the meaning behind the events in their lives or who are seeking to change their current reality.

In this article, we tell the story of a couple who were plunged into deep grief after losing their son. Their lives began to change when they came to understand the deeper meaning of life’s events after an encounter with a single book.

I realized that life’s hardships don’t happen without reason.

My perspective on life changed. I came to see how much I had actually been given.

These are just some of the feedback we’ve received. We hope you’ll read through to the end.

A True Story: Thank you to my son, who taught me the meaning of life.

I thought this happiness would last forever…

As Felix (name changed) studied science at university, he began to find it hard to believe things that didn’t seem “scientific,” like God or the afterlife. He gradually adopted a materialistic way of thinking, viewing the world in terms of what could be seen and measured.

After graduating, he started working at a pharmaceutical logistics company and moved into a managerial role. At 26, he married his current wife whom he met back in college. Six years later, their long-awaited son was born. Fully prepared for parenthood, life felt perfect.

He believed this happiness would last forever…

A Sudden Goodbye

At the height of their happiness, their son, who had just turned one month old, suddenly began to cry out in distress. He had just awoken from a nap. The painful moaning seemed to come out of nowhere. Alarmed, he and his wife rushed their son to the hospital.

The diagnosis was volvulus, a twisting of the intestine that causes obstruction. Their son had to undergo surgery immediately.

Please, let the surgery succeed…

They waited anxiously, praying that everything would be okay.

But despite the emergency operation, their son did not recover and, tragically, passed away.

He and his wife were consumed by grief.

The family of three they had imagined, the countless memories they were going to make, the happy life they were going to build together, were suddenly gone. Their hearts were overwhelmed with sorrow.

A Book Given by a Doctor

A few days after losing their son, Felix and his wife visited their family doctor near their home.

The doctor was shocked by the news. He then pulled a book from the shelf and handed it to them. On the cover was written:

The Laws of Eternity by Ryuho Okawa.

The Laws of Eternity?
What kind of book is this?

The doctor said,

“I know how painful this must be for you. It may be hard to see now, but there are things in life that can only be understood from a spiritual perspective.

Every soul comes to this world to grow through experience, even the most difficult ones. Though this is unbearably painful, these hardships also have a purpose.”

For some reason, Felix felt as if he had heard these words before.

When he returned home, he immediately began reading the book.

“The true life of a human being is a life that continues for tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, tens of millions, and even hundreds of millions of years.
(In between omitted.)

The soul—what may be called the true essence of a human being—is an eternal traveler. That is the reality.”
(The Laws of Eternity by Ryuho Okawa)

The book clearly explained the answers to life’s deepest questions:
the true nature of human beings as spiritual beings, why we are born into this world, and the kind of world we return to after death.

Although he had never believed in God or spirits, Felix felt his heart fill with a gentle warmth as he read.

The Greatest Gift From His Son

As he continued reading, his grief began to soften and heal.

Felix now says,

“I now feel that there may have been an important reason for my son’s short life in this world. It was painful for us, but we were able to grow as human beings. I can see now that everything that happens in life has meaning.

If I hadn’t come across The Laws of Eternity, I would probably still be living blindly, thinking there’s no God and no afterlife. Looking back now, I realize how narrow my worldview used to be. Having discovered this truth, I feel the joy of living in a far wider and richer world than I ever imagined. I believe that the chance to encounter this Truth is a gift from my son.”

Many people have found answers to their questions in the writings of Ryuho Okawa.

The book Felix encountered was The Laws of Eternity.

It is one of more than 3,300 books written by Ryuho Okawa, translated into over 22 languages, and is a bestseller that has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

And he is not alone. Many readers of this book have shared similar reflections and experiences:

A man in his 30’s who couldn’t work because of depression, and felt that life was punishment

--He discovered his purpose, and found his calling

A woman in her 40s, burdened for years by resentment toward her mother

--She came to understand the meaning of her life and was able to feel genuine gratitude

On the edge of divorce after a partner’s betrayal

--They managed to restore gratitude and trust in their relationship, and rebuilt a loving home

Many people have experienced a complete change in the way they see their past

experiences after discovering the meaning of life and spiritual truths.

Do You Ever Find Yourself Feeling This Way?

If you’re dealing with things like:

• You were hurt in the past and still feel trapped by that experience
• Your relationship is strained, and you don’t know how to fix it
• You feel stuck at work and don’t know how to move forward
• You find yourself repeating the same painful patterns

Imagine two futures:

One where months from now, you’re still carrying the same struggle.

And another where you decide today, to let it go.

Sometimes, a single word from someone or a single decision of your own can spark a profound transformation in your life.

If you feel even the slightest desire to change your current situation, why not take that first step and start learning the teachings of Happy Science with us?