In the 25th anniversary edition of "The Fountainhead," Ayn Rand shares a story about her husband, Frank O'Connor:
"I did not feel discouragement very often, and when I did, it did not last longer than overnight. But there was one evening, during the writing of The Fountainhead, when I felt so profound an indignation at the state of "things as they are" that it seemed as if I would never regain the energy to move one step farther toward "things as they ought to be." Frank talked to me for hours, that night. He convinced me of why one cannot give up the world to those one despises. By the time he finished, my discouragement was gone; it never came back in so intense a form.
I had been opposed to the practice of dedicating books; I had held that a book is addressed to any reader who proves worthy of it. But, that night. I told Frank that I would dedicate The Fountainhead to him because he had saved it. And one of my happiest moments, about two years later, was given to me by the look on his face when he came home, one day, and saw the page-proofs of the book, headed by the page that stated in cold, clear, objective print: To Frank O'Connor."
Ayn Rand, known for her uncompromising ideals, found one of her greatest joys in setting aside a principle to honor the man who stood by her during her most challenging moments. Her marriage to Frank O’Connor lasted 50 years, until his death in 1979.
Conventional wisdom tells us, "Find someone who makes you happy." But this outlook places the burden of your happiness on someone else. Rand's story offers something deeper: "Find someone whom you enjoy making happy," and you'll put your happiness in your own hands. Having two people embrace this approach in a relationship is easier said than done, but that never stopped Rand from pursuing things as they ought to be, so it doesn't have to stop you.
