"The wise man knows that it is better to sit on the banks of a remote mountain stream than to be emperor of the whole world." ~ Zhuangzi
One of the positive by-products of this financial crisis is that more people will be given the opportunity to find comfort and contentment in things other than money and material wealth. Whether for purposes of self-preservation and sanity or for a return to values and virtues that truly bring meaning to life, many of us who observe Thanksgiving this week will discover, enhance or re-learn the art of contentment.
I thought it fitting this week to launch my first quotations page, Quotes on Contentment, which I hope will provide a bit of inspiration and guidance, spanning thousands of years of wisdom, at a time when it is needed most.
Have a content Thanksgiving, and if you do not celebrate this holiday, I encourage you to take the opportunity to observe it in your own way...
This is a good post. I have been noticing that a lot of people, because of this "bad economy" are now cutting back and focusing on more important things!
But considering that the vast majority of people are living 2 paychecks away from bankruptcy, and also considering that the vast majority of people can't retire at retirement age... hasn't the economy ALWAYS been bad?
It's sad that people have to be "reduced" to a bare minimum before they can separate "wants" from "needs"
Maybe some people can learn a valuable LIFE lesson from this, and make a LIFE change towards contentment.
This may help our own "personal" economies.
Posted by: Free Your Mind | December 01, 2008 at 11:38 AM
FYM:
I agree and will add that the average person does not think rationally with regard to money matters and that action (or lack thereof) are defined more by ignorance and uncertainty than by knowledge and stability.
"Fear always springs from ignorance." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Posted by: Kent @ The Financial Philosopher | December 01, 2008 at 04:53 PM