Although, the literal meaning of these both terms may call for an expatiate description with addendum of examples. But, in this blog, both these terms are are being defined in context to the “scope of achievements” in a person’s life. “Achievement” is the element, that provides to a person some sort of stability, along with a motivation to be dynamic towards the goals in near future. The synonym of contentment is “satisfaction.,” that may be of different kinds. As a paradigm, if a man is satiated after ingesting his most liked dish, this may put him into a provisional state of “satisfaction.” But, it’s a tiny condition in life.
Apart from it, on a larger scale, a man obtains a “condition of satisfaction,” that may be explained by this paradigm. If a person been in a state of unemployment (job less) for long and suddenly, he secures a job in government sector with a lucrative pay scale. This is a paradigm of larger kind of “satisfaction or contentment.” After a lapse of time, he feels himself becoming stronger on the financial front either. This brings an element of “job satisfaction” into his personality. Now, he is imbibed with an element of “self-confidence.” But, along with, this status also motivates him to give more efforts to get promoted to the upper rung of ladder of his carrier, in shape of departmental promotion.
Gradually, he succeeds in his futuristic prospectus in that line with better posting and increments in pay scale. Now, we observe that this craving of “promotion” has captivated his subconscious mind. It occurs, he is engaged in that direction constantly. What will the name be given to his this “state of mind?”On the one hand, he has already got “job security” by obtaining a job but the “element of contentment” he lacks now.
The condition of “self- contentment” floats, when this chap begins to console himself, ” Well! Whether I succeed obtaining promotion or not; but by virtue of service book of laws, I am authorized to get benefited by “time scale increments” any how!” This conditioning of mind is an essential factor for “peaceable state” in our life. Without kindling of this condition inside the mind, man is doomed to live a life filled with restlessness. Now we shift to the caption of “saturation point.”
This situation occurs, when after giving your all efforts, you are on the acme of your carrier. Now, there is no further going. No any scope ahead in the field of your employment carrier. In scientific field, it’s proven by an experiment, that is a citation. For example, you mix-in some sugar in a glass of water to sweeten it. At the initial stage, the water’s sweetening level will be of lesser degrees. Then, you add more sugar to increase it’s sweetening level. It becomes more sweeten. Now you keep on adding more and more sugar into it, it become like a syrup. Ultimately, a condition is bound to occur, when the glass wouldn’t be able to absorb the sugar any more. This works in the same fashion in our life.
In our life, the same principle of”saturation point” is applicable. The water should be proportionately sweetened, so we can relish is with pleasure. This level is of “self – contentment.” More sweetening of water provides us an ephemeral delight only. But on obtaining the “saturation Point,” every thing changes drastically. It’s like a condition, when you are forced to ingest your most liked food beyond limits, harming your constitution. When you are in a position of possessing a glass of water and bowel full of sugar to add in it; you are in a condition of “contentment.” You can enjoy the situation by adding proportionate sugar into the water. But the “mental set up” to gain a “saturation point” keeps you engaged whole through the life. You had had ample opportunities to live a life with “contentment,” but you failed to live, since you ran after “saturation point.”
In your same field of life, so many other people were struggling to obtain the same “same saturation point,” and as such made your life harsh and arduous. No doubt, one should give efforts to be a dynamic one in the procurement of achievements in life, but not on the cost of “contentment.” Reason is, not every one succeeds to obtain the “saturation point,” and that too on the cost of mental peace. Otherwise also, if you reach the saturation point. then what is next in the life? It’s either a “void or big vacuum” only. Hence better, live a life with a “self- contentment.”
Just look into the life of a peasant, who works hard in his fields in all weathers. Even, at the time of harvest, his crop is hit by the untimely rain, hailstones or storm. But, he is given to accept all loss, “as the wish of the god. He again gets engaged in sowing of his next cycle of crop. His experience is based upon on the element of “contentment.” He knows, not every time crops get spoiled by bad weather. He accepts all this with a “nonchalant mood.” T
his is the reason, why in our Hindu culture the “element of contentment ” is given high value. It’s transcripted as the highest category of “wealth” of mankind and widely described in our proverbs, fables , stories and hymns etc. Penned by — Vinay Pharasi —–
