Contentment And Fulfillment

It recently came up in a discussion that I appear to be a person who is not content with what he has and constantly wants something better all the time. Ok, maybe not in so many words but this is the gist of it.

This revelation has been bothering me for a few days because it is not a quality I like to be remembered for. But no one is to be blamed for the opinion except myself, considering my barrage of mobile devices, computers, audio systems as well as my constant hankering for a better automobile.

In my pursuit of surrounding myself with the best possible technology that is within my means, has my character paid the ultimate price (no pun intended) by being deemed a person who is insatiable?

So, I sought the advice of a higher authority - the Internet - hoping to redeem what little reputation I had left. I came across this quote - "Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realisation of how much you have". Touché.

The fact of the matter is, I not only realise but also appreciate what I have been blessed with in life. Perhaps, 'appreciate' might be too mild a description. 'Grateful' is hitting the nail on the head. Why? Because while people notice what I acquire, not many know how much I've lost / sacrificed during my lifetime. So every acquisition is deeply treasured.

That aside, can one truly be content with what he has and live the rest of his life without improvement? Say you're a shoe person. Is it possible to be content with the five pairs that you own and never want another for the rest of your life, unless you're replacing a broken pair that is beyond economical repair? Well, there are those that can pull it off. Truthfully, I can't. And it is not because I am unappreciative of what I have.

It all boils down to two things for me. Firstly, passion. People are passionate about a lot of things. Some like shoes, some like good clothes, some enjoy collecting watches and some would go to the ends of the earth for good food. The problem with me? I am passionate about a lot of things - watches, cars, CDs, gadgets, sound systems and computers. Unfortunately, this is not an exhausive list. These are not obtained for flash or bragging rights. For me, its the joy of discovery - the learning and understanding of new technologies. It is excitement of building something from scratch or the thrill of integrating something new with something already owned. It is the exhilaration I feel when I've stumbled upon something possible when I thought it was impossible.

Secondly, it is the fulfillment of a goal - something that you want for yourself or someone else. Having a goal or a dream in life gives you a reason to wake up in the morning, haul yourself to work and grit your teeth through unreasonable bosses and ridiculous deadlines. If I fulfill my goal, what I want will not only serve as a new learning opportunity but a trophy. Just imagine if you woke up one day and realised that you're content with everything you have. Would you still have the motivation to drag yourself to the office?

My son is growing very quickly. As he grows, I wish to give him the best of everything within my means and when he is of school-going age, I wish provide him with the best possible education. And even though my earlier post joked about him going to med school, I would do everything within my ability to ensure that he gets there should he actually wish to pursue this. This, too, is a goal. And if he said he wanted to pursue higher education after obtaining a medical degree, would I be a good father if I told him "A Medical Degree is enough, son."?

So, I've a quote of my own - "Realising what you have is being grateful, fulfillment of what you want is contentment".

Perhaps my opinion of contentment and fulfillment may appear base or even materialistic to some, but this is how I view life.

Even so, maybe it is time for a self re-evaluation.