Our society cultivates some values that can make life very difficult for us, among them are, for example, consumerism and competition.
For younger people the situation is much more complex than for older people. In the juvenile stage there is a great need for social acceptance and that is why they easily fall into the manipulation that leads them to consumerism.
One of the ways to fit in is by being fashionable, wearing the latest outfits or carrying high-end phones in their hands. Not being able to satisfy these requirements is often a cause of frustration, which accumulated over time can turn into depression.
These young people find it very difficult to think that life is much more than a race where they buy things that are quickly discarded, goods that do not leave much significance in their lives. It is maturity, which sometimes comes with the passage of time, that can give them another perspective.
Like many others, I also suffered in my youth the frustration of not having one of those fashion items. In my case it was the Wrangler blue jean jacket, a must-have for those of us who considered ourselves rebellious-minded. I secretly thought that owning that jacket would give me unparalleled pleasure.
Fortunately for me, I could also enjoy very simple things in those years, and unlike the jacket I could have them completely free. What was more at hand was to go hiking with my friends in the great mountain that borders the northern part of Caracas. Seeing how the fog was covering all the spaces always seemed to me something magical.
As time went by I learned to enjoy very simple things, like camping with my little children by the sea.
It was with them that I learned the great pleasure there was in seeing and feeling the birth of each day and the sunset at the seashore. Two moments in which I was able to tune in to a special energy. Had I not taken them on these camping trips I might never have known the great source of pleasure that these two moments of the day give.
At this age I have continued to cultivate the enjoyment of very simple things. I love to feel the silence and solitude in the mountains near my home. And although I can no longer climb as high as I used to, I still have enough energy to reach the places where the noise of the city is replaced by the soft murmur of the breeze and the singing of the birds. Being in that environment for even a few minutes is enough to completely renew my mood.
There are other things, also very simple, that I enjoy very much, that I do inside my house, and that are very accessible. One is listening to music. I can spend long hours listening to music, the style will depend on my mood. There are times when I like to listen to baroque music and others when I listen to rock from the seventies, or the so-called Salsa Brava. Today's technology allows me to make selections easily and jump seamlessly from one genre to another.
Another great pleasure I find in the conversation with my wife or with my friends, often friends come to my house or we go to them and we can spend hours talking about anything.
Sometimes when I walk down the street I meet someone I know and if that person is willing I invite him or her to any nearby place to have a coffee and talk for a while. Giving priority to a good conversation is always among my intentions.
There are enough simple, cheap and everyday things that can generate a lot of happiness, it's a matter of learning to enjoy them and let them occupy an important place in our lives.
I am publishing this post motivated by the initiative proposed by my friend @ericvancewalton, Memoir Monday, in the forty eight week. For more information click on the link.
Thank you for your time.
Logo creado por @themanualbot