Be content and simplify

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This morning’s reflection emphasized on discontent and how we tend to complain even after we’ve achieved what we’ve begged God or the universe to give us. We are never content. I had the fortunate opportunity to read the first 4 Narnia books by C.S. Lewis to my younger children thanks to my husband who borrowed the hardbound copies from the local library. The protagonists of the series are children—not always the same children—yet children all the same. I thought it was interesting. Children representing the good versus evil adults. The fourth book tells the story of Prince Caspian (it was made into a movie, though the movie version isn’t as faithful to the book) and how he was supposed to be the rightful king of Narnia at that time. It was revealed that Prince Caspian’s people were actually men from Earth—pirates/brigands who pillaged natives and who later magically  found themselves in Narnia and invaded it. Prince Caspian told the great lion Aslan (who, for me, was meant to represent an incarnation of God or Jesus) that he was sort of disappointed that he didn’t come from nobler ancestry. Aslan told him that he now has the throne and has united the talking beasts and men and that he should be content with what he has now. Not verbatim, of course, but tied to our theme today of discontentment—or that we should learn how to be content. I once saw a meme on Twitter from some movie I don’t know and it involves an old man telling a young boy that we shouldn’t look at other people’s bowls to see if they have more than us (or to make sure that we have more than them…either one of those cases), but that the only time we should look at other people’s bowls is to make sure that they have enough. I think much of our discontent stems from our natural tendency to compare ourselves with others. That our measure of what is fair is when we are better or much more comfortable than others. Like that biblical parable of the vineyard workers who complained to their employer about why those who were hired much later in the day were given the same wage as them who started earlier. It’s the same wage and type of work so what’s the problem? It was the assumption that since they started earlier, they should be given more. And so the employer chastised them for either being jealous of the newer workers or angry at their employer for being generous. 

We should focus on how we can improve ourselves…our own story. Other people’s stories…those are theirs.

On the theme of contentment, I have been admiring those who have chosen to live a simpler lifestyle. People who have downsized to smaller homes or into the woods and live sustainable lives. I’m far too comfortable with being less conscious of the trash I produce or energy I waste. We’ll see, perhaps this bike commuting is a good start.