Is Too Much Not Enough for You?
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There are deep and dark pits that can never be filled however much you try. Some people are identical to those deep holes, they will never be satisfied even though they already possess more than they require.
You may jump into a conclusion that it is wrong to say “too much is never enough”, as too much literally means up and above the requirement.
This is precisely what I am trying to draw your attention towards, for some individuals, even though they have more than necessary, it is not sufficient for them. This happens when a person does not carry the priceless ingredient known as Contentment- the ability to be satisfied with what they possess. Contentment is the secret ingredient of successful people.
When my wife and I got married, we did not inherit or possess much, yet we were overjoyed, as both of us knew the secret of contentment, we were content with what we had. Both of us were happy and satisfied with a humble meal, that we did not even request more from our parents. Today, it is saddening to see people who are not happy even though they have excessively on their table. It is a result of not training your mind to be content on both high and low times.
Life is a medley so we all need to understand that, if we do not know to be content during every stage or season then we will remain in misery forever. The sun keeps us warm but it will not keep us warm forever, we might get wet when it rains, but the rain would not be there forever. The nights are cold and dark, yet the morning sun creates a refreshing environment.
Likewise, life will take you through a variety of emotions and situations during diverse seasons, your mind should be matured enough to maintain your peace of mind at any particular time.
My mind was able to be in utmost peace when I did not have even fifty bucks in my wallet, I still have the same peace and serenity even when I earn more. The secret of contentment can be achieved by clearly defining the aspects that bring happiness to you, in other words in defining what you take delight in. Is your happiness based on the amount of money you obtain, or your level of education or the job title that you hold?
Is it possible to maintain your peace even while you are at home with a limited income due to COVID-19? During the first wave of COVID 19 my income dropped considerably, but I remained in extreme bliss as I got the opportunity to spend more time with my family, it helped us to connect with each other, and it made our bonds grow stronger.
It was something that no wealth could be compared to. I know of many people who are very wealthy, yet they are extremely miserable in life. That is because they have reached a disastrous stage of “Too Much is Not Enough”.
I have seen many people who serve everything offered at a buffet, but by the time they finish dining most of their servings are still on the plate. It is important to understand that a sweet and sour chicken will not complement a traditional rice and curry meal that is served with jakfruit and dry fish. Likewise, you must be wise in with your selection.
Your assortment of activities will sustain your happiness, the boundaries you set will invariably decide the sustainability of your peace. Prioritise the sources that you seek happiness and scrutinise who is controlling those sources. Undoubtedly money is essential for survival, the issue arises based on who the master is. Do you rule over your money or does your money rule over you? Is money your only source of happiness?
Human Beings are vulnerable by nature. If boundaries are not set on your desires, your five senses will go haywire seeking excessive pleasure needlessly, due to not knowing your limits. At the age of sixteen, I was obsessed by the use of Marijuana, it eventually came to a point that my mind was reluctant to satisfy, thus urged me to opt for more pleasure than Marijuana. That is when I started using heroin.
Whenever the dose of heroin reached an average, my mind kept demanding for a higher dose. This is the nature of an untrained human. We cannot persist as untrained humans, we should drive towards transforming ourselves in to trained and well moulded humans who have set strong limitations on their desires. Seeking excessively is common to both the good and bad desires.
People who are keen to do good thrive to do good whereas the greedy people die hard to save more. That is why it is important to set limitations, moreover to make sure those limitations are constantly conveyed to your mind. When your mind is sophisticated, it will act as a sensor.
It will give you an alarm when you reach the optimum level, thus it will give you an indication to stop or turn vice versa. Greediness is a highly destructive attitude that will steal your peace. The secret of life is to live for the moment in supreme bliss and responsibility, as the next minute is not guaranteed. Many left all their possessions behind in the presence of the Tsunami and COVID – 19. Therefore, train yourself and your children to be content. It is the secret that will bring immense joy and peace. The peace I had when I had almost nothing is the same as the peace I have now when I have everything.
Train yourself to move forward with your peace of mind amidst trials. We surely cannot run away from sorrowful situations in life but we can train our minds to be at peace even amidst tears. I will certainly weep when my father departs this world, but I will be at peace by focusing on my other responsibilities at such a situation. If you do not know how to be content, then just as you would act insane with happiness, you may also get deep rooted in sorrow which may dangerously push you astray that you might escape the reality in life. When I was young, I attempted to take my life by consuming poison, due to the inability of my mind to fathom the pressure of being a notorious drug addict.
Thanks be to God, I did not die. The point I am trying to make is that we should be mindful and conscious in handling our desires. As I explained earlier great elation will lead you to hyperconsciousness, a detrimental state of mind that will lead you to take rash emotional decisions.
This is why I encourage parents to inculcate good desires in the hearts of their children, as the little seeds you plant in their garden of life will be the ones that will grow in to large trees. My wife encourages both our children Joshua and Esther, from their early ages to share with the needy. She believes that it will groom them to become contented adults.
Some people have a countless number of clothes in their wardrobes, yet they are in constant need for more clothes.
It is alright to like something, it is human nature to like things which you do not possess but it is not good to be greedy to have it. Is too much not enough for you? Or could you be happy even with the little you have? This secret of contentment, to be happy with what you have is a priceless garment you could gift to your children.
For comments: e-mail – philipnehri@chandanalepa.lk / voice: 0779526496