We all want as much from life as possible. But life is a precious gift, which we must accept graciously.  People who have had near-death experiences usually express their enormous gratitude for simply being alive. Instead of concentrating on what we can get out of life for ourselves, perhaps we should ask ourselves why we have been given the gift of life.  Is it so we can engage in a race with others to see who can accumulate the most worldly possessions?  Is it so we can achieve high status and become famous?  Or, have we been given the gift of life so that we can make the world a better place?  We don't all agree on the meaning of life and our purpose on earth, so I can speak only for myself. 

I believe we are given the gift of life so that we can make others happy as well as ourselves.  I believe part of our purpose on earth is to make this a better world for the present occupants as well as for future generations.  This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with enjoying earthly pleasures.  I think God wants us to be happy.  But I don't believe that very many of us can be truly happy by only looking out for ourselves.  We must care about the happiness of others and be concerned about future generations that will come after us.

According to an old Greek Proverb, "Nothing will content him who is not content with a little." This basic truth has been known for centuries.  More than two thousand years ago, the Greek dramatist, Euripides, wrote, "That man is happiest who lives from day to day and asks no more, garnering the simple goodness of a life." He also advised, "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things only hoped for."

We must learn to be content with what we have at the moment, if we want to ever be happy.  This does not mean that there is anything wrong with hoping for more from life in the future.  But, to believe that we cannot be happy until we have more, is to forego any possibility of ever being content. It is human nature to always want more than we have, no matter how much we have.  Therefore, unless we can find contentment with what we have right now, we will probably never find it. 

Regardless of what else we have or don't have, we have much reason to be happy by just being alive.  Anyone who has come close to losing their life from an accident or illness can verify the value of just being alive.  Why does it take a near-death experience for many of us to realize that?

Copyright 2014 Allen W. Smith

TB-99—Posted  06/29/2014

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