Wednesday, April 17, 2013

365 Inspirations—107: Contentment and Harmony

"When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes—I already have everything that I really need.'"—Dalai Lama

I have this old, faded, lime-green waffle shirt my sister gave me one birthday or Christmas a looong time ago. It's long-sleeved and it's my comfort shirt. I usually wear it when I'm lounging around or I wear it to bed. I probably should throw it away because it's definitely seen better days, but I don't think I can.

On the front it says:

Harmony & Contentment





Every time I wear it, I somehow magically feel those things.

It makes me relax and I start to feel content with the things in my life that are, in fact, harmonious.

I think it's easy to forget simple things in life like a smile, a kind e-mail or blog comment, a colleague who tells you that she likes your haircut or a warm, comforting hug from a friend or loved one.

I received all of these today and they made me feel content and happy.

They may not have been earth-shattering or newsworthy things, but they were important to me.

Sometimes I get so busy with my schedule and the things going on in my life, that I don't stop to ponder these really simple, precious things that bring such peace to my life. I want to honor these things more. I want to celebrate the very simple things. There's so much gratitude to be found in what we already have.

I'm grateful for this old shirt that I slipped over my head this evening after a long day and a hot bath. It reminded me how important these two words are. Being content and feeling harmony for 'what is,' instead of what I'm lacking, is truly a gift.

Do you have a favorite item of clothing that brings you comfort?

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