At what point is enough enough? I have so many blessings – less than a lot of people, but more than a lot of people. But that shouldn't matter… it doesn't matter what other people have… at least it shouldn't. What should matter, is do I have what I need? Or even want? There's that old saying I love so much – "We buy things we do not want, with money we do not have, to impress people we do not like." I know everyone in the world knows how that feels, if they can admit it.
The same concept goes for everything I have… my car, my home, my friends, family…. Faith… everything. When have we had enough food? Where is that line? Where do we draw it? From what I can see, most people don't. Ever. We have clothes, but we need better clothes… a house but we need a bigger house. I have a nice car, but I need a nicer one – I have a sweet and beautiful girl, but I need a sweeter and more beautiful one – I have a good body but I need a better one – I have a lot of fame but I need more… even down to, I'm a good Christian but I need to be a better one, or I'm a smart person but I need to be smarter. I've had a few drinks but I need more. I've got a good steak but it could be cooked better, or fresher. Does it ever stop?
When is a hot shower enough? When is warm shelter or clean water enough? When is a person who loves you enough, no matter how rich or charming or stunningly beautiful they are? I know people who are wealthy beyond what most people could imagine, dating girls that should be on the cover of magazines, driving cars that most people only see in movies, but they still dream of more stuff, popularity, respect, and hotter girls, no matter how much they already have. So when is enough enough? For most people, never. And that's why we're all so miserable.
I'm happy. Deep down, I really am. But I still feel constant pressure to strive for more…
to "live up to my potential." What does that mean? It's like I'm being pushed to want what I don't have… or to want that they don't have. I'm happy… when did happiness stop being enough? I need to remind myself – I'm happy. And how can we really want more than being happy? Is there more than happiness? I don't think so. As Cheryl Crow says, "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have." The more money I make, the more I spend. The more fame I get, the more cocky I am. When people all love me, I want them to love me more. Where does it stop? Does it stop? Not unless you make it stop. Not unless you can look where you are right now and say, "I have enough." And you do have enough… unless you're dying of thirst of course, and if you are, you're a complete moron for reading all this – go find some water.
am just wanting people to know – I know you want more, and while there is a certain amount of happiness in 'more', it's never enough.All of a sudden, I'm realizing, I could easily spend the rest of my life striving for more… and how miserable that would be. It's like we only get enough to remind us that we can have more. I don't want to live like that. I don't want to live the rest of my life un-happy with what I have.
If you're reading this, you're probably in a warm place, had a good meal today, took a warm shower, and have people who love you… probably even have your own computer. That's enough. Really. That's more than enough. Because if you're not happy with that, you could be Bill Gates wondering how you could turn your money into more. Not saying that he does, because I don't know him and maybe he doesn't, but if you can't appreciate the warm shower you took this morning, you and I are both in for a very long life of un-happiness.
Let me add, I don't think money is bad at all. (or power, same thing) It's a great thing - it usually reflects hard work and wisdom. The love of it is the root of all evil, and the love of it is what will make people miserable. Hard work and wisdom are very fulfilling, and if they pay off financially, that's wonderful. But the money itself is what will corrupt if the hard work and wisdom that built it are lost. That aside, everything I said above stands.
