I came up with the term "counting years" to describe the years in youth that we spend yearning for the next level, constantly wishing we were older so we could do more. I thought the counting years ended in my twenties when I had reached those desired age landmarks and surpassed them with little to show for it.
Yet it seems we keep the counting years alive in our minds. In these older years though, the goal posts we are aiming for just look a little different. Striving for a better job, more money, a better title, moving to a bigger house and so on. Is it just that we are never happy with what we have? For some people, I'm sure that's true, and the quest for more is strictly material and monetary, and those folks will never be happy.
For the rest of us, I believe it's more about fine tuning. Tweaking this or that to come up with the best combination of people/jobs/environment that helps us be our best selves, and by doing so creating contentment along the way. But how do we find contentment with what we have, and when do we decide to change our circumstances in order to be happy?
It's not that I try not to look back in life, it's that I try to grow on past experiences and glean the appropriate lesson. I am thrilled we moved to South Florida for so many reasons. Before we moved, my husband and I were working almost 24 hours a day between our full-time jobs and running our own business. This move has seemed like an extended vacation, with the side benefit of us making more money and working less hours and having an entire ocean as our playground when we aren't working. I am hesitant to complain about living here because of the amenities that surround us, but unfortunately, South Florida is missing some vital elements I need in my life to truly be content. Having said that, I am content, for now, because I'm not quite ready for this vacation to end.
As I get older, and my counting years dwindle down, I seek a quieter life, a simpler life, and I know we will create this for ourselves. For now, this is our journey to get there.
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