Discontent can sometimes be a positive

Today I am writing this column with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.

My son, who has lived in Cape Town for almost four years, has moved back to Jozi. And my mother – also a Capetonian – is visiting me for several weeks.

Nowadays, you never know if you will ever see your family again if they live far from you. Covid has taken a lot of our loved ones from us, but we also have other diseases, crime, violence…

I am fortunate that most of the people I love are still alive. There is my son, my mother, my daughter, the five-year-old Egg.

Even the lovely Snapdragon, my present wife, is still here. She’s such a blessing, but even I have to admit that she can be particularly complex at times. Still, I have never seen divorce as an option during the eight years with
her.

Murder, on the other hand… Isn’t life a joy! I often find it ironic that despite the wonders of being alive, we refuse to be happy.

But this week, it struck me: discontent isn’t negative. It can be one of the most positive emotions we are capable of.

Of course it has the potential to change me into a lonely, bitter old man, but it can also be a catalyst that kick-starts positive change.

I mean, why change things if you are happy? You need to be fedup with something before you will lift a finger to change anything in your world.

None of our modern GPS driven apps can ever replace discontent as an internal compass for our lives.

We all have our own magnetic north and the emotionless technological miracle in our pockets isn’t capable of adapting to our unique definitions for happiness.

Technology can’t guide us to the lives we desire. Only discontent can. If you’re unhappy with your situation, use it to your advantage. Embrace discontent. Use it to experiment with solutions. Make changes.

Discontent isn’t a negative force. It’s a form of inspiration that initiates change. And constant change has made humanity the most developed creatures to ever walk earth.

This weekend, I’ll ponder ways to make changes to my wonderful world. But first, I’ll have to solve the puzzle of how to find a reason to be discontent with my great life.