Satisfied

One of my favorite activities is reading Wikipedia. This is ironic because I used to make fun of my mother for reading the encyclopedia for fun. I guess we are destined to become our parents. Oh well.

So I was reading the article about the Amish. I've always been sort of a fan of the Amish since they seem to stick to their peculiar way of life despite the rest of the world. But one thing really struck me as I read. Their reasoning for not using certain technology is not out any belief that the technologies are evil but rather that they allow people to be evil. For example, why do they not use motorized tractors but do use modern chemical fertilizer? Because the tractor would allow a farmer to farm more land thus possibly depriving another farmer of that land. They are satisfied were their simple standard of life and want to ensure that no one gets greedy.

So why am I not satisfied? I have far more material possessions than the Amish. I have a car, an apartment and a satchel I take with me pretty much everywhere. Yet I envy people with other cars and imagine myself living in a big house. The problem tends to be that I make up in my head (with the help of our society's mindset) that my life would be substantively better if I had one of these things. These other people with their better satchels seem so much happier than I. But I know it is the poor who are happy and the humble who are blessed.

So for at least today I am satisfied. I have a beautiful wife to wake up to each morning, work that I find rewarding and friends to laugh with. For everything else, I know I am loved more than sparrows or lilies.