Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Contentment is
self-satisfaction with one’s own position. It enables one to bear calmly the
hardships, mishaps and miseries he has to face in life.
Contentment is
not the same as satisfaction. Contentment is inborn, while satisfaction depends
on outside objects. When a man gets what he wants, he is said to be satisfied.
But a mind that hankers after more and more cannot get real satisfaction. The
contented man does not hanker after what he has not.
Contentment is
superior to riche. Riches cannot give us true happiness. A persistent desire to
acquire more and ore wealth brings as much anxiety to one as a artificial poverty,
for it constantly creates new wants-happiness does not consists in any of them.
Contentment is a never-failing source of happiness. Though it does not bring
wealth I the sense in which men usually understand it, it extinguishes desire
and enables one to put up with trials and afflictions in a spirit of calm
resignation.
Contentment
sweetens and brightens life. it unlocks the gates of joy. It keeps the mind
above distressing passions-such as envy, jealousy, ambition and greed. It leads
to truth, piety and humility.
True contentment
should he distinguished from false contentment. Man may sit idle and remain
contented though he has the power to better his condition. Evils, that can be
cured should never be endured. Contentment is health of the mind, while
discontentment is its diseased condition.
The virtue of contentment may be cultivated and
developed. Just ask yourself in your cooler moments the simple question whether
you have already as much you really require; and you generally find that you
have as much. In fact, many of us have already much more than we actually
require; yet we hanker after more. Thus, we are disturbed by a sense of
perpetual want that robs us of true happiness. In His impartial distribution of
blessings, Allah has showered many gifts on us; and surely we shall find that
we possess them even if we do not strive for them. Why shall we not remain
contented then? Why shall we destroy our present contentment by seeking for
things that we cannot have? This contentment may also be useful to those who
have suffered bereavement or loss. Misfortunes are inevitable, but instead of
being broken down by them, we must thank Allah that they have not been worse.
There is the story of a Dutchman who broke his leg by a fall from the main
mast, but congratulated himself that his neck was saved.
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