<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is well paid that is well satisfied\u201d (William Shakespeare).<\/p>\n
MANY THINGS WE MAY NOT HAVE, BUT IF WE HAVE WHAT GIVES US SATISFACTION, WE CAN GIVE THANKS. No two of us are exactly the same, so we\u2019re not going to be satisfied by the same things. Yet the world we live in is so wonderfully varied that there is something to satisfy everybody. What we must do is decide to find satisfaction in our own pursuits. Rather than being seduced by the advertisers and entertainers to want things that wouldn\u2019t be satisfying even if we had them, we\u2019d do better to bow our heads and give humble thanks for our own real satisfactions.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a common misconception that satisfaction is the same thing as apathy or indifference, but it\u2019s not. Genuine satisfaction doesn\u2019t mean complacency; it means contentment. Satisfaction still leaves room for growth, and it knows how to aspire to greater things. But it also knows how to enjoy and be honestly grateful for present benefits. What it comes down to is this: things don\u2019t have to be perfectly<\/em> satisfying for them to be pleasantly<\/em> satisfying.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an old suggestion, but it still contains a lot of good sense: simple things are often the most satisfying, although they don\u2019t make the news headlines. As I am writing this, for example, the morning sun has just climbed above the horizon and warmed the waiting world with a golden glow. As I look up from my writing desk and take in the view outside my window, I see something that is satisfying in a simple way. Whatever else I may not have on this day in my life, I\u2019ve enjoyed something that should content my soul.<\/p>\n But life isn\u2019t just about being satisfied; it\u2019s about giving satisfaction to others. It\u2019s not always possible to do that, of course, but when it is, we should be eager to do it, even if it means going the extra mile. Sacrificing to see that others are satisfied is one of life\u2019s privileges.<\/p>\n You may never have thought about it, but your satisfaction is a contributor to the satisfaction of those around you. Knowing and working with people who are at peace within themselves is one of life\u2019s most refreshing joys, and we do our friends a favor when we choose to be satisfied. Not apathetic, mind you. But satisfied<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cLet a man\u2019s talents or virtues be what they may, we only feel satisfaction in his society as he is satisfied in himself\u201d (William Hazlitt).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n