Monday, October 27, 2008

Contentment

Two days of great surf.  Offshore winds, beautiful warm late 
October weather with the sun shining and the water still a bit
above 60 degrees.  How nice.  After a pair of 3 hour sessions
on Sunday and a 2 hour session this morning I feel great or as
a friend in the line up put it "contented".

That same friend and I had a long talk after we got out of the
water today about contentment.  Too many people are not really
happy with what they have, with where they are in their lives, with their
jobs or their marriages.  So many folks fool themselves into thinking
that contentment comes from something they don't have, that it
comes from "stuff", from things outside of themselves.  We talked 
about a friend whose marriage is failing because of the lack of satisfaction
because of lack of contentment.  One of the partners has a "bucket list" of
things the feel they must do to be happy.  That list includes places to see,
trips to take, stuff to get.  Too bad it doesn't include the really important
things.  The ones that truly lead to contentment like friends, family,
health, something you believe in, something and someone you love and
who you know loves you.

Sure the economy is bad, my house hasn't sold, my retirement investments
have taken a nose dive, but you know what today put me in touch with?
My own contentment.  I've got a job I love, a great wife and family. my health,
and I've surfed 8 hours in 2 days...I'm a happy man.  What about you?

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