The Pandemic Plaguing America: CD ….Chronic Dissatisfaction

I DO.

….until I DON’T.

The PERFECT! Gift!

….until it’s not.

It’s my DREAM HOUSE!

….until it needs remodeling.

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My son called – while traveling over the holidays – to tell me that he had been humbled by seeing indigenous people with less than nothing….happier than most Americans.

That one statement sent a jolt through my soul. A powerful observation followed by a profound conclusion.

How on earth did we forget to be grateful and satisfied?

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It is completely unfair to slap a label on my forehead as against ALL divorce in America. Believe me, I totally understand that abuse can infect a marriage to the marrow. And, there is absolutely no judgment needed or necessary to justify leaving a malignant marriage.

But……that’s not what I am writing about today. I’m talking about America’s Chronic Dissatisfaction. “I Do”, says the young couple….“until I don’t – want to be bored anymore.” ” I don’t want to stay married to a person who can’t buy me the nice things that my friends have.” ” I don’t want to do this ‘adulting thing’ (which is Millennials vernacular for growing up) anymore.” “I don’t want to be tied down to one person forever because I think I could do better.”

The pearls are the perfect present (mine happen to be faux)…..until they have lost their lustre and newness. After years of enjoyment, the predictable pearl accessory will become passe’ and pedestrian. On to the next piece of jewelry that shines more!

And so it is with the sparkling chandelier. That fixture is the crown jewel of the home until some magazine article or some designer on television convinces you and me (the ultimate consumer) that is sooooo out-of-date to have crystal, ornate lighting over your dining room table in 2019.

Just like the designers convinced us that shiny brass-yellow fixtures were the metal of choice in the 1990’s…..then came oil-rubbed bronze (Yep, a fancy name for brown) in the 2000’s…..only to realize that about 5 years later brushed pewter took over…..then shiny chrome/silver dominated the market…..now the experts are trying to enlighten us that the new must-have is RoseGold-colored accessories. (I think the design powers-that-be made that up because our mamas never talked about that color in the kitchen!)

In that same vein, we all had white appliances, then black….then industrial stainless steel….and now, it is essential that we have Black Stainless or Rose Stainless. For real. There is absolutely no degree of satisfaction. What is the latest, greatest item that we can spend our money on? To make us happy?

Or……who is that nameless, faceless future gal or guy that we can attract to make our life perfect? ….until we realize that it’s not the jewelry or a new date that will fill that hole in our soul.

Look in the mirror.

And there’s your answer.

It starts with YOU. It begins with ME.

Be content. Be grateful. Be happy that you have a stove-top to cook your meals on (even if it is the wrong metal finish). And your home has light to shine over your family suppers (even if it’s not featured in magazines anymore). And your spouse has loved you through thick and thin (even if she/he doesn’t quite look like the same person as on your wedding day)!

You and Me (WE) can’t change America overnight. But WE can decide to wake up tomorrow morning with an attitude of gratitude. We do not have to manufacture some crazed, fake smile pasted on our face or blissfully ignore disappointments and dangers that we may face. Of course, not.

But on this Thursday, January 17, 2019, let’s begin the wave of wiping out a national epidemic of Chronic Dissatisfaction….simply by waking up with hearts full of thanksgiving for what we currently have. Being content with Now. And acknowledging the Power of Enough.

Thank you for reading. It’s my pleasure to write to you through this blog. I am definitely thankful for MyWrittenThoughts.com.

Stay Well. Talk Soon.