Contentment.

contentment-post

Nick, in his comments on my blog post Questions Answered had this to say – “You must be remarkably content if you can’t think of a single thing that would improve your quality of life!”

I think that his response was to this question and my answer.

Q : What would improve your quality of life?

Ans : I doubt very much that anything would improve on what I already have.

There is an element of inevitability in my being content with my lot.  I am 73 years old and have been a retired hippy for so many years that I have forgotten how many!  Hippy because,  both my hips have been replaced and one of them  revised twice and the other, once.  The latter is due for second revision and I am hoping that I will pop off before it becomes an absolute necessity.  Obviously then, I can’t have ambitions of getting on a powerful motorcycle to zoom off into the sunset or other equally appealing escapades.

I have built my comfort zone around a home that stands debt free and increasing in value every year.  I live with my son and daughter in love who indulge me my small requirements, lavish love on me and worry about me when I step out of the house.  I know that I can depend on them to take care of me if I get into an accident.  I have enough in the bank to meet any emergencies and get a pension that is adequate to finance my small indulgences, primarily books, movies and periodicals. 

I enjoy being lazy.  Since using local taxis and autorickshaws is not too expensive, and to avoid  hassles of traffic, parking etc, I go where I want without having to search for the keys to the car.  I also have great friends who have chauffeur driven cars who take me around if we were to do things together just as my children and a few other younger friends do.

Solving four crossword puzzles, three good meals, good siesta in the afternoon and sleep in the nights every day;  company of family and friends etc,  makes life quite pleasant.  If I want excitement, I simply get myself a thriller to read on my kindle or to watch via DVD on our home theater system.  I have so many clothes that I don’t have to buy any new ones any more and I am of an age where I don’t really have to be conscious of the latest styles in my attire.

A powerful computer and a smartphone enables me to be in touch with my far flung network of relatives and friends and for them to be in touch with me too.  I have made a great many friends through blogging and with facebook and whatsapp long lost old friends are coming back into my life regularly.

“Money, social status, plastic surgery, beautiful houses, powerful positions – None of these will bring you happiness. Lasting happiness comes only from serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin.”

~ Yuval Noah Harari. Sapiens A Brief History Of Humankind.

I think that I have been blessed with enough serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin naturally. What more do I need?

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