Contentment
By dian21
@dian21 (606)
Philippines
July 17, 2010 12:44am CST
There was a young bride who married a Marine, thinking that traveling the globe and living in foreign countries would be romantic and exciting. Two years later, she wrote her complaints to her mother. She said she had no friends. Worst of all, her husband was never home. She wrote,"I can't take this any longer. I'm coming home." Her wise mother's short reply was: Two women looked through prison bars. One saw mud, the other saw starts.
Each of us has a choice. Sometimes we have to see also the beauty or advantages of our choice and not only the negatives. Every woman has circumstances that appear to be prison bars. God wants you and me to learn to be contented in our circumstances, not when they imprve. We need to pray and find God's peace. In that way, we will learn contentment.
1 person likes this
10 responses
@narayan2006 (2954)
• India
17 Jul 10
Contentment is a state of mind. Human mind always seeks to explore avenues and objects to fulfill his/her desires that crop up every moment. We are destined to proceed on a path carved out by our own self to fulfill our desires,in context of individual,family,social,professional,religious and various aspects of life. No one is found fully contented in any context,since individual mind always tends to judge,compare,analyze one's present state of affairs with others external to him/her and develops new desires and dreams. One needs to elevate and transcend one's mind from its ordinary level of consciousness to higher level of divine consciousness-the field of universal life. It is the level of mind where a person passes from the state of duality to the state of unified reality of life. Here, the mind does not make any difference between "I" or " You" or"He" or anyone. Absolute and eternal contentment prevails every where, for such a enlightened person .Thanks.
1 person likes this
@narayan2006 (2954)
• India
18 Jul 10
Thanks for sharing your views. In a relative state of life characterized by normal and ordinary state of consciousness of mind,it is not feasible to remain contented as mind has its natural and intrinsic property to aspire for more and explore new things and travel to new horizons. The thirst for new things,new knowledge,something new and more simply does not end till mind reaches its ultimate and eternal source-the field of Absolute Being. In that state, nothing remains to know,to discover,to explore as we do in the gross state of life. In the subtlest or finest of life, Absolute truth that forms the basis of all knowledge,creations and phenomena of relative life prevails. It is the state of perfect bliss and eternal contentment. A person having elevated his mind to this level of perfect awareness of Absolute reality of life still continues to lead his normal relative life in the midst of all kinds of diverse circumstances,with perfect contentment and bliss. Thanks.
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
Hi narayan: First of all thanks for sharing with us your spiritual point of view. However I think that when we understand that we could be happy simply with the things we have we start being happy instead of keep waiting to have this thing of this other one in order to be happy. Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
hello narayan. Thank you for your in-depth explanation of the word contentment.It is the nature of human to widen his or her horizons, aspire for more and explore new things. Somehow, it is also healthy for a person that he will satisfy what he wants. On the other hand, if at some point, there will be circumstances that is not in line with his or her aspirations, we should still be contented of what we've got already and be happy with what we have at present.
@vhings_88 (294)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
I might somehow like the girl in your story. I feel not contented but I'm happy with my life. Most of the people feels happy but not contented. It's human nature I guess. Contentment is really hard to find because if we do then why would we work harder and harder everyday just to earn more and more money even if our present job could support our daily needs. Why others are frustrated to be on top even if they are already rich and famous. So I guess, contentment or satisfaction is not really an easy thing to have.
Prayers can help, since every time I pray I feel contented spiritually.
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
Hi vhings: I think that contentment it's a never ending way that we are just walking through our life. Maybe there would be a moment in our lifes where we'll feel fully contented, however we can feel satisfied with every goal we get in our lives I think. Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@krajibg (11923)
• Guwahati, India
18 Jul 10
Hi vhings,
In my perception, contentment can be reached only when your happiness is multiplied. When happiness is short lived contentment last longer for it comes from within, from a state of being when you are settled everything is going well with you.
No, riches can not bring you contentment. It could bring happiness apparently though. Just be happy in whatsoever condition you are for sooner or later you would walked out of it and thats what life has to offer.
@starsailorover, I agree. There is not a single soul that has no any problem. Problems are there and thats why life is so beautiful. And I guess Heaven must be a boring place to live in. lol
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
@starsailover and krajibg, yes each one of us has our own problems and worries. But we should see the lighter side of it and not only the dark side. Sometimes, things are not always what they seem to be. We may view a certain circumstance as unpleasant or unfavorable to us, but we just don't know that God has something nice stored in it.
@vhings. at least you are happy. In life, it is really hard to be contented that's why we always aspire for more and work harder. But as long as those aspirations will not harm ourselves and other people, then it is okay.
@krajibg (11923)
• Guwahati, India
17 Jul 10
Hi dian,
almost all of us are happy but very few are contented with what life has offered. When a millionaire is putting a plastic smile a poor rat is sleeping out his bed in full happiness and contentment.
You rightly put that it is the circumstance that we need to read before jumping into any conclusion and crying over something that actually does not exist. Things have both positive and negative angles. When we are in sort of trouble we tend to see the negatives first. Why not try to cope up with the situation until it improves to one's approval?
Yes contentment is much larger a concept than happiness.
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
Happiness is really dependent on one's contentment. Even the rich people are still not contented and be happy, yet the poor can easily find happiness because they are contented with their life. The circumstances in life will let us see the positive and negative outlook in life.
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
Hi krajib: I totally agree with your statement. I'd also add that there's no person that have no problems. Problems are not completely bad. When we face them we become more mature persons and we can learn important lessons of our problems so this shouldn't an obstacle for our hapiness. Thansk for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@Ladyslipper (1327)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
As I mature and grew older I learned to be more contented in life and look at the positive and good things that are happening to me and my life instead of the negative and bad things. That's when I realized that if I'm going to just reflect on the events in my life it looks like there are more good things and happy moments. It's just that most of the time I dwell on the bad times.
That's when I learned also that the way to live happily is to be contented with your life and be optimistic. As I think and live that way more and more blessings are coming my way. Why? Because by being happy always and contented with my life I attract positive energies. Problems become problems when you consider them a problem. SO don't think too much of the things that will just bother you and make you feel sad and miserable. You would be surprised that even if you don't worry about it at all it just eventually gets resolved. It always happen to me. :)
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
Hi Lady Slipper: I think that this is the way we should look when we think about our lifes and how to pass through different situations. Life is a miracle and it's also a gift and unfortunetly, many people concentrate on teh bad things, teh difficulties, etc and they forget the other part of life and of course they don't enjoy it.
I think that a positive way of thinking attracts positive things too. Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
@ Ladyslipper. I think that is the Law of Attraction. The more you think of something, the more it will happen or come to you. So rather than dwelling on the negative things, try diverting your mind to the positive side of things, even if negative things happened..At the end of the day, when those things have passed, we will just regret being pessimistic sometimes at some things when all we can do is just relax and think positive.
@imonline (3)
•
17 Jul 10
It only means that not all leisures and material things are the source of our own happiness. Oftentimes, we don't find happiness and contentment with all that we have. What we are now is what we decide as our own choice. Think before we act. Not all things in this world are indispensable. Marriage is sacred...
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
Hi I'm opnline: Yes marriage is sacred and I think that a person that decides to get married should think about love and not only about the things that he/she finds that will make him/her comfortable in that situation. I say this because we are usually adviced even by our parents to look for a rich person, because we think that we are going to enjoy life that way. Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
That is really true. Marriage is not about material things, or travelling. Marriage is about love and being together in richer or for poorer, and in sickness and in health (oh, I love that line). Because it is just normal for couples to have problems or trials, and we have to face and accept that no marriage is hundred perfect. When we marry someone, we have to accept positively everything that we see and those things that we have not seen yet (like trials).
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
Hi dian: I think that the mom has given her a good advice. Every decition has its pros and its cons. Sometimes we have to make a scarifice for loves sake. When you chose someone to get married you have to understand that everything won't be like a paradise. People have to face problems and a couple has to face them together. Thanks for asking us this question. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
You are right starsailover. Sometimes, women think of marriage as fantasy world, like they will live happily ever after. But in reality, there will a lot of challenges. When women marry someone because of material things and one day, she did not meet what she is expecting, that is the start of the problem. Therefore in marriage, we have to be contented of what our partner could give and be happy with it. Just try to get the positive side out of it rather than the negative. Thanks for your response.
@raviteja_ravi84 (2620)
• India
17 Jul 10
Wow really nice story and yes i agree with you. I have also heard of a saying so don't mind if i am posting it here.
[b]When Nature throws a dagger at you there are only 2 ways of catching.
1.By the blade where you might cut your hand
2.By the handle where you learn to use it on something else.[/b]
Depending on how we see life and how optimistic we can be that determines how our life will be in the future.
Thanks for posting a nice discussion! 
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
17 Jul 10
HI again dian: I agree with you. I beleive in the power of our minds and that we could make that a thing that seems to be all negative become positive. We can learn of the negative things that happend in our life and with our mistakes etc. So I think that the problem is about what you focus. Thanks for your answer. Have a nice day.
ALVARO
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
I'll just correct my spelling, is is "stars" not "starts". I'm sorry.
Anyways, the saying that you posted is very similar to mine. Our life is really depends on how we perceive it. Life can be very negative in all aspect if we only see the negative ones. But if we choose otherwise, then life can really be happy and positive things will be seen.
1 person likes this
@charmlenile (387)
•
18 Jul 10
Eye catching story dian. I love it!
I have one also may grandma's story. She keeps on telling me this.
Maybe their are many flowers in the garden and many honeybees flying,trying looking and searching for a beautiful flower to sip the nectar of its sweetness.But you see!Something in there about this beautiful flower and that one thing is different from the rest.You feel something in it that you cant resist to get closer so you pick it up and embrace it. Now,that wonderful flower was in your hands and you feel contented.It is because you pick the best flower in the garden that you showered everyday with your love and affections in that person for a lifetime and you swore to that person that no matter how and even they get old and even there are many beautiful flower in the garden he'll never ever look and pick another one for there is only one rose that makes him happy and that flower is the best flower he'd ever pick for a lifetime.
topic;
We should learn to be contented on what we have in our lives.Contentment is only you can do decide.We should learn to practice that kind of attitude but sometimes some are not contented on what they have that's why for some few people who are not contented its is because they do not see the beauty inside there hearts and the people around.It is a matter of choice we live in. For us to be contented is to love and honor the person in front of us. Be optimistic about your feelings and never ever be deceive.And trust in the name of God.
@dian21 (606)
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
thanks charmlenile. Very nice illustration of love and contentment. I absolutely agree. Once you decide on something or have chosen already, you have to stand firmly on it no matter what happens. Because if we will not learn how to be contented despite of all the trials, hten we will never ever be. Because there is no perfect in this world, even ourselves.
