Here’s something I saw in Honduras: kids playing soccer with an empty liter of soda. They don’t have much at all, but they found an empty bottle, turned it into a soccer ball, and they were having a wonderful time.
Seeing this, it struck me how much contentment is about perspective: simply maximizing what you do have. They weren’t focused on the fact that they didn’t have a soccer ball. And actually, the game they played required a bit more talent, as the ball wouldn’t always go in the same direction when you kicked it. It didn’t go as far, either, so you would stay active kicking this thing for a long time to get it anywhere. Yet I saw the expressions of joy and exuberance on their faces. They were content and appreciative of what they did have.
Watching them play made me think. To what degree do we focus on what we don’t have versus what we do have? How often are we content with what we have, as opposed to always looking for something else?