Being Content

Learning to be content – boy if we could all do that what a happier place it would be. Growing up we didn’t have much and I appreciated everything. I even remember declining offers of material things from my Poppy because I felt bad having people buy things for us. As I became an adult I have enjoyed making small purchases like a person would buying something big. My kids are growing up differently, not with things handed to them, but it is easier.
When we bought our home that we live in now I was thrilled, it was like a dream house. Once we settled it was easy to see the things wrong with the place and over time get annoyed with the lack of funds to take care of it. I went through times of thinking “will I ever feel the same way about this house?” Looking back at the photos I took of the empty rooms after we signed the paper work I tried to remember how I felt. Now, 7 years later, I have that feeling. Of course things are still waiting to be taken care of but this is my home and I love it. I made a list of things I couldn’t stand about it and then things only this house had. The difference was huge and I realized I have to be content, just as we should be with many things.
I had a friend that moved “up” shall we say. I was thrilled and admired her house but she pointed out the things she didn’t like that I would have never noticed (sounds familiar?). She wanted to change this and that and lost that happiness that she had when they moved in. Her husband was in the area as she spoke hearing all the honeys do’s he that would eventually end up on his list. This conversation continued most of the time I was at her house. Within a few years they ended up losing their home and divorced. Now I’m not saying that her lack on being content resulted in that, but how sad that when she had it all she lacked a smile.
Content doesn’t mean settling but being satisfied and at peace.