First, we have to notice that we need to enjoy little things, because It’s what is left for us as individuals. You can’t enjoy what’s not meant for you. If you want to fully enjoy, you have to focus on what “you” have. Little things are all that belong to an individual. Either you should lower the expectations to your little possession or feel belonging to a higher group.
You won’t enjoy or be satisfied with huge expectations. It will always be “later, in the future” with these kinds of expectations. If your lifestyle, your present comfort is not enough for you; you’ll always be dragged from place to place, time to time.
For centuries the masters have told that the thing, the aim of life is to be healthy, to be alive, that is the %99 of what you can get from this life. The rest is luxury. However, individuals ask for more and they don’t want to pay for what they asked for. The payment for desire is anxiety, suffering and grinding. Since you’re asking things that are alien to your individual being.
Happiness is a matter of standards. There isn’t a universal standard for happiness. You can only be happy when your expectations are satisfied. Whatever you think that will make you happy, whatever your criteria are, have more parts in your happiness than the external events and possessions.
The problem is having standards, criteria and expectations too high or unattainable. Most people have ideal destinations in their heads and these are usually non-existent or not available for them. Because they try to measure their happiness in reference to other people. You can’t live according to other people.
Stop comparing yourself to others, you’re you for a reason. Your responsibilities should take others into account but if you desire according to others, you’ll never be happy. You can’t be sure of their reasoning nor their outcomes from these desires. You can only satisfy yourself according to your individual standards, as you never know what, why and how the others live through.
Furthermore, the desire is not something to be fulfilled, desiring is actually an attempt to continue desiring. Object of desire is always away from you. You don’t want the object; you want the desiring. That’s a vicious circle you see…
Why don’t you lower your standards, think little things, what you already have? Your attention is always directed to the things behind the horizon, the unknown. It’s up to you to choose the present moment and your all, the reality.
Breathing is little, yet it’s vital. Why breathing isn’t enough for you? It’s already in the bag, right? That’s the problem, desiring is asking for more than you require. The conflict arises when you don’t want to pay or suffer for the luxurious things, in other words everything that is more than the vital.
A thief broke into the house of a Zen master only to find there was nothing in it to steal. The master came across him. “You have come a long way to visit me,” he told the burglar, “and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift.” The thief was confused, but he took the clothes and got away. The Master sat naked, watching the moon. “Poor fellow,” he said, ” I wish I could give him this beautiful moon.”
We don’t even need clothes to be happy. We may need clothes to find a job, or to do other things. But momentary, instant happiness relies on our expectations and our own specifications of what is going to make us happy. Now is only bound to your expectation from this very moment.
You will have to enjoy little things if you want to enjoy your life. The desires are always far away and all that you’re left with is the little things. After all, you’re little. You’re just a tiny spec of dust in the cosmos, you can only own little, minor things. If you renounce your claims on these little things, you’ll be forfeiting your only chance of fully enjoying the experience of living. Ego is little, make the most of now with the little things you have.
Overall, little things are the only ones that belong to what you call as “I.” Others, the big ones always have associates trying to get their share. They won’t be really yours. Besides, if you get used to enjoy the little things you’ll be happy forever. The universe is dark but there isn’t enough darkness to snuff out the light of an individual candle.
And don’t forget, happiness is never decreased by being shared, instead it increases when shared. It’s not about possession, rather giving away. Giving away the high standards, great expectations that will never belong to “you.”
Image credits: Pixabay public domain images. Search for children playing.