Contentment With Age

In recent months, my personal level of contentment has taken giant steps.   If I had thought I was content in the past, I realize now, that it was just a step in the right direction but nothing to what I feel now, and hopefully, the joy of contentment continues to grow and become greater and greater.  My sweet husband and I kept planning all these wonderful trips and found so much fun in planning them, but always, we discovered we would much rather just stay home and enjoy what we have here.  Our porch, our garden, the comfort of our own bed.  The easiness of our day to day life is precious.  I suspect our children think we are just getting to be old fuddy duddys and perhaps fear we are just reaching a stage in life where we don't have the "umph" to  conquer the world, but the truth is, we have already conquered so much of life and now we are finding profound joy in living the life we worked to achieve.   Contentment is joy, it is peace, it is beautiful.  For us, it is the realization that a simple life is all we ever wanted, yet, took years and years to refine.   Age has given us much, it has given us the understanding that no matter how others act towards you, it always has more to do with their own personal suffering or joy than it has to do with you.  In learning that one thing alone, it has given us a freedom from drama and hearts that grow in compassion which in turn, nurtures contentment. 
Last night I finished my rainbow wool shawl.  Its a lovely thought to be wrapped in a rainbow, wrapped in a symbol of a promise from God.
The little birds were hungry this morning, burning up so much energy just trying to stay warm.  I loved sitting in my chair, watching them.  Life is good.  Really good.