“If one’s life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having a few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements. And finally, there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.”
—Dalai Lama
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And it came to pass that the Lord was so tired of a certain man’s prayers that He appeared to him one day. “I have decided to grant you any three things you ask for,” the Lord said. “After that, I shall give you nothing more.”
The man delightedly made his first petition at once. He asked that his wife should die so that he could marry a better woman. His petition was granted.
But when friends and relatives gathered for the funeral and started to recall all the good qualities of his wife, the man realized that he had been hasty. He now realized he had been quite blind to all her virtues. Was he likely to find another woman quite as good?
So, he asked the Lord to bring back his wife to life. The Lord did.
That left him with just one remaining petition. And he was determined not to make a mistake this time, for he would have no chance to correct it. He consulted widely. But some of his friends advised him to ask for immortality.
But what good is immortality, said others, if he doesn’t have good health? What is the use of health if he has no money? What is the use of money if he has no friends?
Years passed and the man could still not make up his mind what to ask for: life or health or wealth or power or love. Finally, he said to the Lord, “Please advise me on what to ask for?”
The Lord laughed when he was the man’s predicament, and said, “Ask to be contented no matter what life brings you.”
Contentment refers to a state of satisfaction and mental ease, characterized by happiness and fulfillment. When you are content with your possessions and circumstances, it fosters a positive outlook, enabling individuals to appreciate your life despite facing challenges.
This sense of contentment cultivates resilience, allowing you to feel fortunate for what you possess and maintain hope for the future. Furthermore, contentment helps to mitigate negative emotions such as envy, anger, greed, and jealousy. This quality is frequently linked to a lifestyle of simplicity and acceptance.
Some famous men and women have given us some thoughts about contentment. Socrates said, “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.”
Aesop also urged, “Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.” Tony Gaskins assured that “To be content doesn’t mean you don’t desire more, it means you’re thankful for what you have and patient for what’s to come.”
Oprah Winfrey, one of the most successful women to come out from Hollywood (she received an Oscar nomination for her first screen appearance in The Color Purple), commented, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
Charles Dickens, the famous author A Christmas Carol, suggested, “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu also said, “Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.”
I was reminded of the story shared by Edward de Mello about a contented fisherman and a wealthy tourist. I’m sure you have heard it before. But just in case you have forgotten, allow me to share it again:
A wealthy tourist, complete with dark glasses and cameras, went strolling along a tropical beach and found a fisherman dozing alongside his banca.
“Why aren’t you catching fish,” the tourist asked.
“I’ve caught enough for today,” the fisherman replied.
“But why don’t you go out and catch more and make some money and then buy a net so you can catch even more,” the tourist suggested.
The fisherman asked why he should do that. The tourist replied, “So you can buy a motor for your banca and go out farther where there are still more fish to catch.”
The fisherman stood up and wondered, “But why catch more fish?” The tourist again replied, “So that you can earn more money and buy a whole fleet of fishing boats.”
The fisherman thought for a while and inquired again, “Then what?” To which the tourist replied, “Then you would become rich and could spend your time taking it easy.”
The fisherman replied without hesitation, “That’s what I’m already doing.”
An unknown author pointed this out: “Contentment always eludes those who don’t count themselves blessed for what they already have.”
