Friday, August 27, 2021
If I could package and distribute fulfillment, satisfaction and contentment, I would save humanity from its demise. But our restless nature, our search for more, has led us down a slippery slope. Think of our culture like the food industry. The food industry has run amok with what it promotes as “food,” but ultimately all of this sugary, processed stuff is poison. The body needs nourishment. It needs sustenance. It needs satisfaction. This can only be accomplished in giving it what it needs – nutrition. If our culture (what we consume) were like food, most of us are taking in junk that never satisfies the deeper part of ourselves – our souls.
The soul needs nutrition as well. But what we seem to value in our culture never seems to satisfy the soul. What we value doesn’t satiate, and it’s not sustainable. How else would you explain the insidious search for more? – more fame, more possessions, more comfort, etc. We try to consume more and more unnecessary information, more entertainment, more social media, and more “news,” only to find ourselves emptier than ever.
Ask yourself what feels life-giving, filling and satisfying. Sustenance usually comes through simple things: a kind gesture to a stranger; spending time in nature or with family; reaching out to a friend; being more cooperative at work; being more patient in traffic; or taking more time to be quiet and still. Satisfaction usually comes in simple, small things that make you feel more pleasant. Think of how these simple things can bring you a sense of peace and satisfaction. Feed your soul today with small acts of kindness and activities that are wholesome. A nutritious diet for the body is simple (fruits, veggies, whole foods, etc.), and a nutritious “diet” for the soul is also simple. A pleasant person has a satisfied soul. A disturbed person is searching for something they cannot find. Cut out the “junk” of what comes into your mind, eyes, and ears and be a catalyst for a new kind of culture – one that values the simplicity of just being a more pleasant person.