Sindhu's first article on www.justcribbing.com!
Are We Content?
'We had a tough time getting a good maid', thundered one of my friends. It was a Saturday evening and customary to the week-end routine, we had gathered at a friend's place. One topic led to another and we found ourselves discussing the issue of employing maids in
That set a line of thought pondering in my mind. Are we satisfied with what we have? Do we strive to reach for more and in the process stop enjoying what we have?
I need to draw a line here between 'aspiring for more' and 'wanting more'.
Aspiring to reach higher is a process of growth. We strive our best to use our skills and abilities to aim higher and grow higher-spiritually, materially, and socially. In the process, we learn more, acquire new skill sets, enhance our thought process, and make new social connections. And this contributes to growth in a positive direction. What is key here is that we are content with what we have and draw new goals to reach them. We do not complain but develop ourselves.
Wanting more on the other hand is a process whereby we have our goals stuck at a place for a period of time. When we attain them, we draw new goals and strive to reach them. The mind is not content with what we have. We remain in a constant state of dissatisfaction at not being able to appreciate what we have achieved. We start comparing ourselves with others. We start a thought process in which the mind is engaged in a constant battle between what it is and what it wants. Our happiness is soon guided by the mission of obtaining 'x'. And if 'x' is not reachable, we feel shattered. We feel useless.
I tried googling for some interesting quotes on 'Satisfaction' when I chanced upon the following said by Mahatma Gandhi.
"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed." Profound indeed!
One of the main lessons I learnt from the Art of Living course is to 'live in the present'. While it sounds simple, adopting it indeed requires monitoring the mind and bring it to the present each time it reels back to the past and forwards to what may happen in future. Engaging the mind to be in the present is actually 'living with awareness'. The more we live with awareness, the more we are able to appreciate what we have, explore more opportunities, lead a contented life, contribute to growth and most of all, live and not just exist.
It was placement time during my final year of my post graduation course. The placement committee had invited a deluge of companies enough for each of us to be placed. Many even landed with two or three offers. What should basically be a euphoric atmosphere turned into a battle of minds where each one was busy comparing what the other had landed with. So, who should have been responsible for happiness? The placement committee? The companies? or the students themselves? The answer is obvious.
Why blame the maids when we have to debate upon what we want and what we seek in our everyday lives?
- Sindhu
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