What the Pursuit of Happiness Looks Like, 250 Years In

“What the Pursuit of Happiness Looks Like, 250 Years In” frames how Americans in 2026 interpret the Declaration of Independence’s “pursuit of happiness” as an active drive to strive. The article describes conversations with dozens of people and highlights a consistent theme across geographies and backgrounds: chasing something better requires effort. Doug Garr, 77, is approaching his 2,500th skydiving jump after spending decades pursuing the exhilaration of leaping from about 13,500 feet. He began at age 20, later returned after a period away triggered by caregiving stress following his wife’s stroke in 2008. Garr now jumps several times a month and travels to places including New Jersey and Connecticut when conditions are clear. A second storyline notes Barb White and her husband Kyle applying to volunteer as lighthouse keepers in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin.