Contentment

According to my Oxford American Dictionary content adj. contented, satisfied with what one has.

I have to say that I feel very satisfied and very content, with my life. There are moments that I feel such joy, and it is always over the very simplest of things. For example, in the morning I head out of the back door with the Lady, our puppy, and a bucket of feed for our steer, I walk towards the west, the sun behind me and lighting the trees at the back of our property everything looks peaceful in the early morning light. Lady and I stop to let out the chickens, she always has to jump up at the gate just in case the chickens don't realize she is there, then we head out to Jersey. Jersey always ambles over to greet us, although I am sure his main interest is for the contents of the blue bucket, rather than Lady and I. Then we turn to walk back to the house, oftentimes there is a light mist over the back yard, and I feel such contentment as I see our house rising out of the mist and the morning dew sparkling in the sunlight, it is truly one of my favorite things and when I feel stressed I picture this view.

I feel contentment when I hang out the laundry, behind the wash line there are a number of white pines, they always look beautiful against the blue sky and are a perching place for any number of birds, the clean laundry smells pleasant as it flaps in the breeze, the sun feels good against my skin, it is peaceful.

I feel contentment while making bread, this Saturday I made two batches of bread, each batch requires about fifteen minutes of kneading. I find the rhythm of kneading very relaxing, it slows everything down, it is just me and the bread dough working together, the dough changes slowly from a somewhat gloppy mess to a smooth, elastic mass. Then there is satisfaction in seeing ten loaves rising on the counter, at last ready to bake, and then the whole house filled with the delightful aroma of fresh baked bread. And finally, loaves of baked bread cooling throughout the kitchen, the inevitable cries of, "I want the heel!" as the first loaf is attacked with gusto.

I feel content when I preserve food. It can make for a long day, but what satisfaction in harvesting, cleaning, preparing, canning, and finally storing the food that we have grown.

I feel content when my newest grandson, Patrick, is snuggled up sound asleep on my shoulder, or when I play with him and he squeals and giggles and laughs. I feel content when my two year old grandson rushes up to me and hugs my legs, or calls me MamMaw, or stands in my pantry pointing to the ice-cream cone box and saying, " want ice-cweam".

I feel content when all of my children are home and we can sit down to share a meal together.

I feel content when my husband and I are working together on various projects around the house.

I feel content at the end of Mass, it is a joyful time, I leave feeling renewed, challenged by the homily, content and ready to face the week.

I notice that all of the things that make me content, the above list is but a small sampling of my contentment list, cost nothing yet are priceless to me. I can truly say that I am the definition of contentment - I am satisfied with what I have! :)

What brings you contentment?