by Susan Kramer

By being content with who we are at this moment, but also being open to improving, we enjoy each moment to the fullest.

Right while reading this, take a deep breath in—let it out. This is the present. And whatever situations are humming around us, and in our mind, need not intrude upon our underlying base of contentment with who we are, and what we have materially. For underlying our relationships in the world is the relationship with ourselves, remaining the 100% primary companion for our entire lives. And when we accept ourselves as we are—as basically good with eternal souls linked to our Source-Resource, we then see that nothing of the world that changes can possibly change our changeless self in Self.

In order to seep into consciousness of fullness, contentment in the moment, we can spend some moments of the day in prayer, meditation, reflection, appreciation—then set out to live kind and productive lives in attitude and action. Every day, taking refuge in our inner refuge, our inner Source-Resource, fortifies daily living with strength and courage to be the best we can be in each arriving moment.

Contentment lies not in achieving a certain relationship, or wealth beyond daily sustenance. Contentment is our own attitude of appreciation for what we are, and what we have at this very moment.

As an example, if we walk into a store and see something we want but cannot afford, we create a stress in ourselves. And stress multiplies. We have first created a new desire and think we will not be happy unless we have that object. Then we have the stress of thinking how we will pay for the object. And the stress does not end there. Suppose we do buy this object and cart it home and it gets broken—causing us to feel anger over our own or another's clumsiness. Stress compounding. And as we fill our house and our lives with an abundance of objects we need to take out more personal property insurance—further adding to our expenses and stress.

And do we really feel happy after an acquisition and all that follows? Maybe, for a short while. Till we again see an ad for something we feel we must have to give us that temporary high. And we probably will repeat this process for many years, while never enjoying the contentment we thought would come with each acquisition.

In summary, contentment holds the content of all happiness, because we get to enjoy the prize right in this very moment: joy, happiness, fullness each and every moment of our lives. Acquiring objects, or relationships as objects, gives us a temporary rush followed by stress over whether we will be able to keep our trophy. Learning to enjoy the content of each moment comes through the practice of relaxation into the present moment, aided by time spent in the stillness of meditation. In the time of stillness our body begins to enjoy an infusion of joy, an energization, that we can then take into our active moments of living.

Writing and Photo ã 2001 Susan Kramer
email: susan@susankramer.com
web site: http://www.susankramer.com