Contentment

The Dalai Lama says contentment is core to his faith.
The Apostle Paul says that too, that he has learned to be content in all things.
There are times when I have been wonderfully content
when my family was together for my 60th birthday
Christmas mornings
Sunday mornings when worship has gone well and there is a full church
when I held/hold my children and grandchildren
when I am on retreat
whenever I see a sunset
when I go to sleep at night with Forrest by my side
and when I awaken in the morning.

Mostly I live with restlessness.
I'm a whiner.
I grumble and complain and question why.

The Costa Ricans hve contentment.
When the water or electricity didn't work
they shrugged their shoulders.
"O well," they said
and they were content.

Americans don't do that.
We want it fixed - now!
Our country would be very different if we were all contented.
I wouldn't like it as well.
But somehow there needs to be more of a balance than we have
so that we're not screaming at each other all the time.
Contentment goes against the grain of the American way.
We're restless.
We dream of how it could be different, better.
It's in our DNA.

The Dalai Lama speaks of beggars with their bowls
being content with whatever is put there in the day.

I would never make it,
begging and being content with whatever landed in my bowl.
Somebody for sure would pitch in a piece of candy.
My blood sugar would plummet soon after that
and I would be felled fright there
on the street
in front of God and everybody
laid out and lifeless.

I will have to find a different path to contentment
a little more balance
Exactly how is that done?
What is the first step in dealing with restlessness?
For me,
Quit whining, grumbling and complaining.
For sure that's a no-no in a contented life.

Today is the Sabbath.
I shall not complain.
I shall go on a fast from negativity and make gratitude
a more conscious part of my hours.