Contentment

Post Summary:



I'm proposing that not knowing how to appreciate a good thing is effectually worse than not having a good thing. And all this relates to Gratitude and Ingrattitude. I hope this addition of summary will help the reader to have a frame to think with, and better understand the article.



When I have received a good thing but then I know not how to appreciate it - and assuming a Bell Curve for good and bad things. I have received much of the "positive" end - yet I cannot recognize it - it is then irrelevant whether I will receive better things or not.

For those who are not in mathematics or Engineering - Bell Curve, is some probability system that says ( in this context ), on average, a person will face very few extremely bad things, some average bad things, a lot of "middle" things, some good things, and very few extremely good things in life. It is also called the normal distribution.

Take 2 persons: John and Cassie

John received few good things in life - therefore within himself, he continues to hunger for good things. Probability tells me that he will soon be satisfied and he will live in enjoyment. Probabilty tells him his hope has some measure of grounds to it. Assuming a Bell Curve, being at the 70-percentile, he can look forward to the 30 more percent that he has yet to receive.

Cassie received much good in life, yet she does not know how to appreciate it. She knows she has little to expect. at the 90th-percentile, she wonders if 90% is so tasteless, what more could an additional increase of 10% give. She is worse off compared to John, although she has retained her present comfort, yet she has lost her hope for better things. For she cannot between what is good and better anymore.


Really, what is a good thing to receive in life is eyes to see the present good.
I am talking about myself, though I do not doubt that many people need the same eyes too.

Gratitude.

Gratitude has got to come with humility. Pride trumpets self-sufficiency. One may be strong enough in life to be self-sufficient in certain areas in life, yet a self-sufficient attitude breeds an independent spirit. Not the good kind of independance, but the kind that causes ingratitude.

And ingratitude - is blindness towards goodness.

Ingratitude kills joy faster than anything else, since it robs the joy of receiving gifts - for gratitude springs from the fact that we know we are receiving goodness that we do not deserve. And truly, a physical lack of nourishment can be easily be fulfilled in our part of the world, yet an emotional and spiritual void, what can fill?

Humility in our world is such a low word. The voices call "flaunt it!" yet, a wise person would choose humilty than 'flaunt it' - for he knows the true winner is the one who enjoys much, not as simplistic as just having much.

And isn't the secret of contentment simply true gratitude?

I'm not being content. Now, i'm not so worried to have less - but that I'm blind.

God, please open my eyes. Not only mine, but the eyes of the many people of this world.