I would love to live in a world where more people feel satisfied with who and where they are in time and space. I would love to help each of us realize we’re in charge of creating such a world. And personally, I believe that if we could find such a space within each of us, we would have a much friendlier world.
Gloria and I have begun spending about four months a year at our home in Crete, the largest of the islands of Greece. We live on the east or quiet end of the island, in a primarily Greek neighborhood—a few folks have English, but day to day is conducted in Greek, which is fairly easy for Gloria and difficult for me. I don’t mind; first, it’s taxing my brain to search for the right words to be understood, then I must really strive to understand what comes back to me. I love the challenge. But more than the challenge I love the feel of community there.
On this past trip we were not only gifted with lemons, oranges and other fruits, but also raki (liquor local to Crete), family olive oil from a new friend, and other kindnesses. My 86 year old neighbor brings me cheese pies or toasted sandwiches every morning for breakfast! We have been made to feel a part of the community there. We’ve even joined a community choir. While we’re singing in English, Latin, French, German and Ukranian, the entire rehearsal is conducted in Greek and I have to admit I’m lost. But we’re having fun! And as we have moved into the community we are feeling more and more grateful. In a town of 12,000 we feel we’ve found our place and our community.
Is our place perfect? Only to us. Is the apartment far up the hill, creating some long walks? Yes, but that’s part of the charm and it keeps us more fit. Do we love our neighbors? Absolutely! Because, for me, it feels like the community spirit I grew up feeling in a country neighborhood centered around the one room schoolhouse sixty years ago. We all took care of each other back in those days, and we do this in Crete as well.
I’m reminded of an early trip where we invited our realtor to dinner. We were discussing this aspect of sharing everything to help each other survive, and Vaitsa said, “We have a word…arxeto…it means enough, and we believe we always have enough.” What a marvelous concept! I so wish more of us could learn to be grateful for what we have, but also to remember to feel happy about sharing that fortune.
As I look at the US, and indeed, the entire world, it seems greed is the motivator for so many, followed by that feeling that I need more…more money, more status, more power. What would the world feel like if we could all realize “I have enough.”? What would the world feel like if that top twenty billionaires decided to stop collecting all the money and share with those who are without means and don’t have enough? It’s a tricky question, one I doubt will be answered soon.
So what can I do personally? I can share what I have. I can create community, I can affirm to self that I am enough and have enough, so I don’t have to compete for the very air of the world. I can remember to feel satisfied by the output I have given in my world, and feel appreciation for not only myself, but those around me who are doing their best to remember to remain satisfied as they have ‘enough’.
It’s easy to want more, and it can be addictive to try to collect more. It can also be freeing to realize there’s enough, and remember to share as much as possible. Perhaps you don’t need to bring breakfast to your neighbor each morning, but more kind greetings to those around you, more ability to feel the gratitude and create more satisfaction…I’m doing this for myself and encouraging those around me to do the same. I hope you’ll start practicing the art of being satisfied.