What does contentment mean to you? It's a fairly common term, but I've found that we don't all define it in the same way. In my view, contentment has nothing to do with WHAT you have, or don't have. Contentment is an attitude we can choose to have, or not to have. I choose to be content.
Maybe you're thinking, “Wait a minute. This whiny girl with all her chronic pain is saying she's content? I don't buy it. She writes all this poetry about pain and heartache. Complains about homeschooling. That is NOT what I call content.” And you're right. But that happens to be exactly my point. I HAVEN'T been choosing contentment. I HAVE been wallowing in self-pity. I'm done now. Going to try to be done now.
In my A post, A New Beginning, I mentioned that the past year or so has been rough. The slide began with me being canned from my dream job, and as I sit here writing, I have the flu. In between, I had whooping cough (with almost a month, total, of bedrest). I had complications from whooping cough. I tore the labrum in my hip. I found out that I need that arthritic hip replaced, not scoped. My grandmother died. My dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's.
But in 2010, I also went on a cruise. My relationship with my sons changed dramatically (that would be the result homeschooling.) I was able to be there for a friend during her major life-changing crisis. I went on a road trip to my favorite vacation spot, Annapolis, MD. I went to the beach, the same beach where we honeymooned. I became a blogger. I am able to knit again. I got to go on three separate snowboarding trips with my boys, and my Best got to join us for one of those. The Engineer and I established a REAL date night, where we LEAVE THE HOUSE once a week. Even got two weekends in a row without the boys, so as a result, a trip to Glenwood Springs. And we finally, finally, finally, paid off our last credit card.
Those two different descriptions of this past year make for a sharp contrast. Seems painfully obvious which description is more pleasant. Yet they both are an accurate depiction of the events. So this day I am choosing contentment, and when someone asks me, “So how was your 2010?” I'm going to say, I got to go on a cruise...
How about you? Are you content?
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13 comments:
You can't take the thorns off of the rose, but who would pass up the rose? That's a good way to take life.
smiles. contentment even in the trials is a great discipline in perspective tina...we will get the good and the bad its all in where we choose to put our focus...i am working on contentment myself...
Bless you. A thought-provoking and inspiring post. I choose to be content, the same as I choose to be happy. It's not always easy but I try my best.
Ellie Garratt
Great post! I am content. For the most part, anyway:)
Great post!
I am content too. Despite some major train smashes last year, things turned out just fine.
I'm glad that you found peace and contentment.
:-)
Contentment can be hard to find and sometimes hard to recognize when you do. I'm glad you see it.
You're right - we choose to be content or choose to be upset. I try not to let life rattle me though.
Hello, Yes, I choose to be content, too, even though last year (in July) my husband passed away, I moved and also one of my daughters was diagnosed with breast cancer. I choose to bloom where ever I am planted, and you have my utmost empathy, my dear. We can be content because we choose to, and God gives the strength to do so.
God bless you. Ruby
it is ok to feel content and not be happy. i was asked today what i would like for my birthday tomorrow, mind you i was having a very, very bad day. and when i thought about what i wanted, i couldn't answer. there was really nothing that i wanted, i have everything i could ever want. the thing about it is, it is like you say only i can choose to be content and grateful, after thinking about what i would want, i was pretty happy that i didn't want anything!! i have always loved reading your posts, i don't always comment and lately i have been way too busy to stop by but i always get something good out of your read. so don't sell yourself short, you have a lot to give!! thanks for sharing
This is really a great post. I do feel content - I am happy with my lot. Everything does not go as planned all the time. I like to look at the happy things and not dwell on the hard things - I like that you found all your "happy's" and there were many - You are blessed!
What a great post! Contentment is something I need to work on all of the time. I can find myself being able to be content for ages and then it all disappears.
I'm definitely finding contentment in my writing/blogging life. Making new friends via the A-Z Challenge.
Love this - Thanks for dropping by because it led me here and I really enjoyed your perspective - Good luck with the challenge
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