Give me a little perspective...

What is life and how life is lived differs from each person according to their perspectives. One person would view life as a journey; One would view it as torture; One would view it as a test.

Depending on the perspective, life could be good, bad, fun, boring, long, or short. A newly-married couple sees only the brightest future ahead of them. A long-time divorcee sees a future fraught with hopelessness and depression. A child sees only tomorrow. An old man looks back at yesterday.

So who has the right perspective in life?

I have always looked at my life as a good one. The future is always bright. There are so many things that we can do tomorrow, so many things that we can look forward to. And once tomorrow comes, we do those things, which makes them things we can proudly look back on. It's all one big circle. We are who we are on things that we have done, things we are doing, and things we plan on doing. So why look forward with despair and pessimism?

'Wake up! The world isn't as great or easy as you think it is.'

Why? Why can't I look ahead with optimism and carefree joy? It's not as if the world is in much danger. It's not like the Apocalypse is coming anytime soon.

'The world has so many things that are bad that you just don't know about.'

I know there are many things I don't know. I know that I haven't suffered at all (relatively). I am aware that caring about these things seems to be important. Unfortunately, I am not so great as to be able to see the other side at all times. I do my best, tolerating and empathizing with others. Rich people don't see how the poor suffer. Self-centered customers don't know what it's like on the other side of the kitchen/shop. Bad drivers just don't realize how they drive.

All because they don't see themselves from a third person perspective.

Looking at the world, you can see the sadness, the cruelty, the torture, the suffering. But then, why focus on that all the time? Look at yourself: See the simple joys in your life. See the smiles on your friends faces. Feel their joy, and embrace it as your own.

I think wearing rose-tinted glasses and seeing the good is better than putting yourself down with stark reality.

Envy.

Even though I say I'm satisfied, I still feel this maddening feeling of envy for others...

'Man I wish I was that lucky.'
'Wow I wish I had that.'
'I want that so bad.'
'Why can't I be like that?'

These thoughts all make me doubt myself. Am I truly as satisfied as I think I am? Is it a natural thing to want more than you have? I think it is. Someone said that it is because we want more, therefore we progress, we evolve, we grow.

So is it all that bad to envy? And is it all that good to be satisfied?

Great men and women have told us: Get what you deserve! Reap your rewards! You need this! Do it for yourself! Make it in life! You are better than that!

Have you wondered just how long you have to do that? When will you stop 'deserving'?

It is then I think... I have a fully equipped body. I have a wonderful family. I have a loving little lady. I have more friends than fingers. I have the opportunity to learn, to grow, to be me.

I am satisfied.

Into the fray, once more!

He was there once before. He did what everyone else had done before. The pain, the anguish, the joy; he had experienced it all. He left it all behind.

And yet, he tries again.
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Pfft, here I am, typing away at 1.38 AM, wondering if this one will last longer than the rest. It's always been a bit iffy, this blog thing. I wonder if I'll have something substantial to blog about this time?

Let's begin with some words on the title...

'Envy my satisfaction'

I am satisfied with life. Right now, I have nothing to do about it, and it is good. I know that in the future, I'll have to work hard to continue being satisfied. Yet, how many of us here can say that we are truly satisfied with what we have?

'I want a better car.'
'I wish he loved me more.'
'I wish she would care.'
'I want more money.'


'I want a better life.'

We want and we want and we want. When we do get what we want, we want more. More, more, more. More money, more health, more love, more respect. Can't you be happy with what you have?

Even if you say: 'I am still living with my family; what would you know about satisfaction?', what about those other millions of people who are living with their families? Are they truly happy with their lives? Can they honestly say that they don't need anything more, that they can live their lives this way forever?

Can you accept the life you live?

I think I can.