1. Have an Interesting Snippet to Share : Click Here
    Dismiss Notice

Is Contentment Necessarily A Bliss?

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by jayasala42, Jul 6, 2020.

  1. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    11,571
    Likes Received:
    12,422
    Trophy Points:
    615
    Gender:
    Male
    :hello:I presume it is response to fbat#5.
    2. I remember the pattinathar padal காதற்ற ஊசியும் வாரது காண்....
    Thanks & Regards.
     
  2. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

    Messages:
    34,584
    Likes Received:
    28,744
    Trophy Points:
    640
    Gender:
    Female
    Awesome.post well said. We can be happy in life if we are contented with.what.we have
     
  3. startinganew

    startinganew Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    386
    Likes Received:
    670
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear @jayasala42 ma’am

    Your words really spoke to me! I am in a state of deep contentment with many aspects of my life - both family and work-wise.
    But my thoughts keep going back to just a few years ago when I yearned for better-and-better than what I had - and that yearning did arise from a state of discontent. And the discontent was fairly justified in my view (an uncomfortable workplace/family situation not to my liking, etc).

    But now that many of these issues have been resolved, have I become complacent in my efforts to become a better me? The bitter truth - is yes. (easier to accept in a partially anonymous forum).

    How to stay grounded, thankful and be in gratitude for what I have - but at the same time re-kindle one’s inner drive to do more? And “this drive” to do more - has almost always come from a bit of pain (for me personally).
    I think we need some amount of pain, discomfort, dis-satisfaction - to give up on a little bit of sleep, a bit of our food, a bit of our comforts - to push our minds/bodies to the edges of its limit to get what we want.

    Thank you so much for letting these ideas get to the top of my thoughts.
     
    Thyagarajan likes this.
  4. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    5,357
    Likes Received:
    10,549
    Trophy Points:
    438
    Gender:
    Female
    Thank you Madam for your nice response. Whether it is contentment or not, in practical life it is a reality that we make lot of compromises and start living with compromises even loving those compromises.At certain point of time what we feel is that we have taken a wise decision also.Even in my life, I have refused promotion and remained in the same post and it was helpful when my husband met with an accident.I know that it was not contentment but adjustment.Very few people are blessed with whatever they cherish with ambition, others just get on whatever comes to them.
    jayasala42
     
    startinganew likes this.
  5. startinganew

    startinganew Gold IL'ite

    Messages:
    386
    Likes Received:
    670
    Trophy Points:
    173
    Gender:
    Female
    Well said, Jayasala ma'am. Scores of women including me have had to make these same decisions between a little less at work and a little more at home or vice versa. And most of the time, family wins. And we tell ourselves, honestly, that this is best, we cannot even think otherwise - how can it be? I am this family's nurturer, nourisher, and I must run the show - at some cost to myself. The joys and highs of family - make it worthwhile. But what if this woman's contribution to her career is what would make a bigger dent in the world? Isn't this similar to the concept of local optimization to global optimization? yes, to each family, mother inclining towards the family, helps. but what is the long-term effect of this: continued wage discrimination for women, gender-biased policies and leadership at the workplace, etc. what can and what will change this?


    You articulate the concept so well in simple words.


    p.s: sorry to redirect your thread to the age-old topic of women's balance between home and work. Feel free to ignore, I am simply thinking aloud here. :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2020
  6. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

    Messages:
    2,324
    Likes Received:
    2,691
    Trophy Points:
    283
    Gender:
    Male
    Contentment is bliss, without doubt. The verse form Gita advises for action but detachment for results. So action precede contentment not the other way. If I may create a new quote: I will say in dictionary Action comes before Contentment. Contentment is not possible without action and once we do not attach targeted results to our actions, bliss in possible. No bliss is possible without detachment with results of our actions.
    Whatever progress we see today in any field of life is a result of action and not going in depression in case of failures. Someone rightly said he learnt to do a thing right after doing it thousand times wrongly. Japanese Management system talks of first time right but that is not possible in the assembly line only not in an experimental endeavor.
     
    startinganew likes this.
  7. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    5,357
    Likes Received:
    10,549
    Trophy Points:
    438
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Shri Harilakhera,
    Action first,contentment next-nice interpretation.
    jayasala 42
     
    HariLakhera and startinganew like this.

Share This Page