The Endless Quest For More
The things that we have become accustomed to living with and receiving, we might start to believe are a right; something that we will always be guaranteed. Internet, electricity, running water, for millions of us these are just the basics. We might always expect our lives to not only include electricity and running water, but perhaps a lot more than that.
For many people alive today however, these aren't guaranteed basics.
When you're a child you might turn on the tap and think that's how it always works, every time you turn on the tap that's the result that you get. We might never pause to think about all of the effort that goes into building and maintaining such a service. If you've ever found your power unexpectedly go out though, or your water get turned off etc, then you've likely had the experience of suddenly realizing what a value these services are that we often take for granted.
Every pleasure that we enjoy in life is something that we should be thankful for because none of it is guaranteed.
If we are on a quest that involves trying to endlessly impress others, it can feel like an uphill climb but it's an endless pit that you'll continue to funnel energy, time, and money toward, and yet never be completely satisfied. It'll have you making regrettable purchases or potentially spending time at places that you don't genuinely enjoy.
Focusing on what you don't yet have but want desperately is obviously an easy way to fuel dissatisfaction in your life. But we can choose to be thankful, even for that which we might simply consider a given in our life. You never know when circumstances might change and even the simplest pleasures in life that you enjoy might be taken away from you. Being thankful for all of the small things can also help us to appreciate the bigger accomplishments even more. It's good to have goals and to strive toward achieving more for yourself and your loved ones, but it can often take a long time to achieve meaningful goals that you might want to accomplish. So while you're on your way, working toward fully realizing a new goal for your life, don't forget to be thankful for and truly enjoy the simple pleasures available to you now.
A good way to vaccinate against prejudice and entitlement is travelling the world. You really get a sense of what you take for granted. Repeat every couple years so the effect doesn't wear off.
Such a good reminder.
Hey buddy. You know what I'd do if I turned on the tap in a given location and nothing came out.....I'd freak-en leave the country! lol
No, but that's just me being silly, doesn't really address what you are saying and more over what if couldn't leave the country cause something super screwy happened.
It's always good to be appreciative, grateful, and prepared!
On another note, and I hope you don't mind; I'm trying really hard to get a community writing project off the ground.
It's basically going to be a travel pro report library for steemit and hopefully the online world at large with any success; a resource of information for destinations around the world. I'm collaborating with other travelers (travel pros) on steemit encouraging them to write reports with a specific format to keep the quality and style in sync. The reports/library can be found at @travel-report.
I just wrote the first one to get things kicked off. It's on Chiang Mai Thailand, one of my favorite destinations in the world for many reasons.
Any support you can lend is greatly appreciated and it will encourage others to write reports too really giving some lift to this project.
Thank you for all your help, past, present, and future!
From Odessa Ukraine -Dan
Friend a pleasure to say hello and like another good post and which calls for reflection, have everything and not worry about anything, we should not get used to it, we have to fight to achieve some things, our own effort for something we want is the best feeling as a human being .