Satisfaction December 25, 2013

I guess I was raised to expect the most satisfaction in my life to be marriage and family; we all were in my generation, which came after the Great Depression, especially the Jewish people who survived the Holocaust. As a family, we were happy to be alive and together, satisfied with whatever we had. My mother was the best example. She never coveted anything anyone else had; she felt that whatever she had worked and was the most that she needed or wanted. She didn't need a telephone answering machine or a microwave oven; she loved her Chevy Impala and did not yearn for a newer or a higher level car. She loved her three daughters the same way and never wished for a son; my Dad teased that he did, but we knew he loved us with all his heart.

My mother had daily satisfactions which filled her life; can we match that feeling with the more rapid pace of our lives and the extreme competition for our desires to be whetted for faster and more technically  advanced merchandise? We are bombarded by the latest in fashion, the most popular restaurants and at this time of year the lists of the best "top ten" movies, books, etc. which make me feel less than satisfied until I read and see all ten!

I begin to think we are all getting obese because we feel little satisfaction in our daily lives and look for the comfort of food to provide the satiety (fullness) which we confuse with satisfaction.

I begin to think folks participate and watch extreme sports events for the same reason; we wish to feel satisfied that we have accomplished something extraordinary-or at least watch as someone else risks his or her life climbing an ice covered mountain or skiing off a cliff.

I don't know why our expectations vary so much; many others have told me how surprised they were, as I was, that their  school children's concert or chorus was well rehearsed and delightful "this year." Are we so afraid of being disappointed that we no longer let ourselves be excited, anticipating events? Let us each strive to feel satisfied with our daily lives without looking to compare our events with others, without measuring how much we received or how much our gifts were appreciated by their recipients.