Ramana picked this week's topic - contentment. Be sure to check his take at Ramana's Musings.
Contentment. A state of happiness and satisfaction we all strive for and occasionally, if everything falls into place, achieve. Sometimes it sneaks up on us- I am content with a simple life due to financial restrictions - I live on my social security check. Acceptance is a primary step toward contentment, it seems to me.
Many people are content with their relationship with God. I am not one of those. I am content with my place in the universe. There is a spiritual bent to the universe that I am convinced implies balance in life.
Contentment is clearly in the mind of the beholder. It is a very personal thing that can change as time or circumstances warrant. Personally, it is not something I have a lot of experience with.
Strange as it sounds, I think one of the longest periods of contentment I have experienced was when I was caretaker for my late wife Lynn during her struggles with Huntington's Disease. I was content knowing she was getting the care she needed from people who truly cared about her. I do not think one could ask for more under those circumstances. But beyond that and my contentment with my place in the universe, my experience with contentment is limited. Considering the clock is ticking, it seems my chances of future experiences are somewhat limited. Perhaps my upcoming trip back to California will offer something. It will be the first time I have seen a large part of my family in almost 30 years, Time will tell.
That's my quick take on contentment. I wish I had more to say but as I said, I am relatively inexperienced with it. I do accept my lot in life which in and of itself implies a certain degree of contentment.
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ReplyDeleteyou said two very profound things about it in this post Shack.
ReplyDelete"Acceptance is a primary step toward contentment, it seems to me."
and that is the main key I think.
and the last sentence (although I did read all the others!)
but the last one rang particularly true for me...
"I do accept my lot in life which in and of itself implies a certain degree of contentment."
the older I get I find there is always something to be thankful for. if nothing more than just waking up. LOL.
perhaps true contentment means that mindset is always with us and we don't have to remind ourselves of it. I'm still working on it
will let you know.
and I'm loving the fact that you're soon getting outta Dodge!
GO Matt Dillon! GO! xoxo
I hope you will feel some of it when you are in California. Looking forward to seeing you after more than 50 years.
ReplyDeleteFrom all accounts that I have had from your blog posts over the years, I am convinced that you are by and large a contented man. The occasional wanting to do something like your proposed trip does not in any way take away the basic state of contentment. At the end of the trip, I am sure you will feel contented that you were able to.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that if you accept your lot in life and aren't striving for something impossible, you must be contented. Likewise if you look on at the world's horrors but realise you can do nothing about them and are happy to devote yourself to improving your own little corner of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm content, reconciled to my life situation now though it might not be what I might have expected at this age, but life is unpredictable.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're going to be able to visit family in Calif. Sounds like it will be a good break for you.
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