How Much Is Enough?

Asking A Fundamental Question

We are ever thirsty in our pursuits. It doesn’t matter how much we have. Still we want more. It seems there is no end to our desires and needs. 

***

I was thinking all this the previous night. And I asked myself this pertinent question: How much is enough for me? 

Actually, this question came from a deeper question: What do I want from life? And how much? Not a simple question to play with. Because my life is not only about me. There are people who depend on me. I have to provide for them also. Am I feeling pressure? No. But, I realized: we must decide upon what our needs are and how much we need. Otherwise, we will always live with bickering in our hearts. Will always blame each other for not fulfilling each other’s needs. Don’t we live like that? And there are also clashes between each other’s needs. Then there comes compromises, the sorrow of not being understood, not given priority, and untold hurts. 

We all live like that. Family life is nothing short of a mini-Mahabharat now and then, no? And why all this? Because of an important question unresolved—what do I actually want from life (and how much)?

I think having a clear answer to this is absolutely necessary. If we know what we want from life, there won’t be unnecessary strife to achieve so many other ‘unimportant’ things which we now may consider as really important to have. There will be less confusion and struggle in life. But how to have that vital insight? Well, nobody else but you can tell. Because everybody’s answers will be unique to them. What I want from life is different from what you want. And most of the time what we think we want from life is nothing but a reflection of one’s unfulfilled desires. You see, these are two different things: what we want in life and what we want from life! We actually go about fulfilling our needs according to the first question. But, I want you to know the difference. Only if you know the difference, will you be able to figure out what it is that you really want. Ask the right question, and the answer becomes obvious. We rarely ask the right questions.

I hope from this post you will learn to ask yourself this fundamental question and come upon the answer yourself.

Thank you. 
Image Credit: istockphoto