To live content with small means, part 1

"To live content with small means."

Okay, William Ellery (what kind of middle name is that for a dude?) Channing. Game on.

What could you possible mean by this line?

Contentedness is a toughie. Are you talking about being happy with practically nothing? This is weird for me. Because. Well. To be honest: I really want a nice, big house like my cousin Jackie's. And I want lots of nice stuff. Like Egyptian sheets, and nice China, and leather furniture, and a personal masseuse. Or at least a big car with butt warmers.

But I don't even have a dishwasher. And I'm not trying to whine here. But. I am saying I'm not exactly "content" with "small means."

And by the way, what does "means" mean? I suspect it means value or worth or ability. Which are all related in a way. They all certainly imply... not much: Not much money, not much accessibility, not much of much at all.

And who craves for that? Not I!

Though perhaps I should. Maybe having not much of much at all would help my life have focus on the much that gets hidden behind the not much of much at all. Or. Rather. Maybe I have a tendency to become a bit focused on stuff that doesn't matter rather than stuff that does. Or. Okay! I'll get specific! Maybe my leather furniture that I long for isn't nearly as important as minutes with my five-year old. Even though I suspect that nice furniture and a big house would impress would-be friends more. But. What kind of friends are those? Those who would like me for my furniture rather than a well-adjusted five-year old? Ah. There's the rub. Those are not friends at all. Indeed.

Okay, "Will." Well, I'm not quite ready for that yet. I see where you're going with this. To live content with small means: To live not wanting more with not much of much at all. I suppose that this may be a place that is beckoning me: to rest, to surrender, to realize... that "much" or "big means" does not necessarily lead to "content"-edness. I see your point. I DO know plenty of crabby rich people. And I would like to be content. Though, to be honest. I'd rather learn how to be content with much. Yet I understand that that is not my cross to bear.