Being Content With What You Have in Life
My wife and I met under the most extraordinary circumstances (a story for another blog 😊), and shortly after, we were married. We both wanted kids as soon as possible, and we were blessed with the first of our two daughters two years into our marriage. After spending time in prayer and many conversations, we decided for her to stay home and raise our daughters. Emotionally, we knew we were doing the right thing for our family; however, we also knew this would be tough financially. We had to alter our lifestyle quite a bit, which was challenging because we lived in a very wealthy area. We found ourselves surrounded by friends and acquaintances who were financially better off, and sometimes, that brought me down emotionally. Not having as much as others around me was difficult, so I chose not to compare myself to others to protect myself emotionally and mentally. Even though I tried, I still had moments when I put myself down for not being in the same financial place as others, telling myself that I failed as a professional, husband, and father.
Accepting the concept of "being content with what you have in life" was (and to a certain point still is) difficult for me because I had envisioned a particular lifestyle that I had not achieved, leading to feelings of failure. Although not good for me, I found myself, from time to time, comfortable in a space filled with "want and desire" for what I did not have, allowing a good dose of resentment to creep in. Being in this space caused me lots of pain and led me to create false perceptions about my ability to give my loved ones the life they deserved.
A couple of years back, while conversing with my oldest daughter, I received a beautiful gift from her when she shared her gratitude for how my wife and I provided for her and her sister and how she never felt like she had missed out on anything growing up. She continued saying that she hoped her future husband would care for their family as I had. That was huge for me! Hearing her out helped me see how different her reality was from what I had perceived. It also showed me that I wasted so much time putting myself down and believing in the self-fabricated lies that resulted when I compared myself to others—instead of being content in the moment, appreciating how we were depositing strong values and experiences into our daughters' lives. My wife and I had accomplished so much for our family, providing them a beautiful and fulfilling life. Also, the time my wife devoted to them being at home and walking with them through the difficulties they faced in their youth proved crucial in their upbringing, helping them become the amazing young adults they are now.
"Being content with what you have in life" is often challenged because, as humans, we want more. We want more for our families and ourselves, which is not wrong; however, potential harm can occur from always wanting more. We might miss the precious moments before us and fail to recognize what we already have. We might spend too much time dreaming of a better life instead of enjoying our already great life. We might live in a state of consistent "want" that is unquenchable, robbing us of internal peace. We must take a moment and reflect on the gifts and blessings we experience each day.
JC
Husband | Father | Founder at myTOD