Life isn't always how and what we want it to be. But it's that hope of achieving what we desire that moves us along in this life. As long as one has hope and knows that the truest way to happiness is evenly balancing our aspirations with contentment, we can live in joy. Sounds simple, but it can be a juggling act at times for some of us. Me especially. I am very driven and not inflicted with a high dose of patience. So, when I want something, my drive helps me to accomplish it.
And then there come spaces in life where the next step seem huge with many obstacles. It's easy to get discouraged or down and I find myself working on the great yogic skill of re-framing. If we don't like something in our life, we can change it. If we can't change it, we can change the way we view it.
So, as I wake, I thank God for giving me life, and wonderful, beautiful children. As the responsibilities weigh in, I thank God for those too and that they are moulding me into a fine woman. I thank God that I have work to do as many are unemployed. I thank God for the big beautiful home that I live in and that I am not in a state of deprivation. As my children are currently struggling with taking too much cow milk for them selves (I have a somewhat unique view of dairy), I choose to value the fact that the biggest struggle with my two teenaged boys is dietary. Many parents suffer much worse struggles at this age!
Back to the correlation of happiness and contentment with my practice. It is yin and yang; give and take; strength and surrender; achievement and contentment; desire and gratitude.
