contentment

It was not desirable for the proles to have strong political feelings. All that was required of them was a primitive patriotism which could be appealed to whenever it was necessary to make them accept longer working hours or shorter rations. And even when they became discontented, as they sometimes did, their discontent led nowhere, because, being without general ideas, they could only focus it on petty specific grievances.

It was best to appreciate what you had and not yearn for more.

There comes a time in one__ life, perhaps in middle age, when we stop and assess who we are, and the life we have.

Contentment comes from wanting what we need, not needing what we want.

Want is always hungry and searching whereas contentment is steady, calm and receiving.

We are all a great deal luckier that we realize, we usually get what we want - or near enough.

Was it possible to do both, to contribute to the world while merely observing it? To be content in the moment, but plan for the future? Could you follow your heart without losing all common sense?

It's not what you have on the outside that glitters in light, it's what you have on the inside that shines in the dark.

If he (George Keenan)felt on occasion more than a little uncomfortable when being listened to, then he was truly unhappy when not being listened to.

Content people give fashion a life. All the rest seek a life from fashion.

A book of verses underneath the boughA flask of wine, a loaf of bread and thouBeside me singing in the wildernessAnd wilderness is paradise now.

Newspapers provided a common culture of aspiration.

My dad__ contentment is all that matters to me. When he__ laughing, I__ laughing. When he__ happy, I__ happy. I would give up my soul for him. To me, nothing else but his happiness matters.

...those who deny or oppose these so pleasant delights (of virtue), do so only from jealousy, you may be sure, from the barbarous pleasure of making others as guilty and unhappy as they are. They are blind and would like everyone to be the same, they are mistaken, and would like everyone else to be mistaken; but if you could see into the depths of their hearts you would find only sorrow and repentance; all these apostles of crime are only evil and desperate people; you would not find a sincere person among them who would not admit, if he were truthful, that their poisonous words or dangerous writings had not been guided only by their passions. And what man in fact can say in cold blood that the bases of morality can be shaken without risk? What being would dare maintain that doing good and desiring good are not essentially the aim of mankind? And how can a man who will do only evil expect to be happy in a society whose strongest concern is the perpetual increase of good? But will not this apologist of crime not shudder himself when he had uprooted from all hearts the only thing which could lead to his conversion? What will stop his servants ruining him, if they have ceased to be virtuous?

The rival ideologies of the left and right are both pining for the 50s. The only difference is that liberals want to work there, while conservatives want to go home there.

I'm shadowboxing in a match the shadow is always going to win. (as a young man battling his deceased brother's heroic legacy)

Alchemy is the process of changing lead into gold. Inner alchemy (personal transformation) occurs when we clear our clutter__nternal and external__nd let go of things that no longer serve us well. This creates balance and space, a place that nurtures contentment, which I believe is true success.

Without inner-peace and contentment, success will ultimately destroy you.