A SATISFYING LIFE How To Attain It

 1. A Satisfying Life-Just a Fantasy?

IN A developed country, a house equipped with all the luxuries of life may give the appearance of comfort and prosperity.  Enter the front door, however, and what might you find?  An awkward, unhappy atmosphere.  The teenage children respond to their parents by saying sullenly, "Yes," or "No."  The mother yearns for her husband's attention.  And the father just wants to be left in peace.  Living elsewhere by themselves, the aging parents of this couple long for the company of the family, whom they have not seen for months. On the other hand, families facing similar stresses have been able to resolve their problems and are truly happy. Do you wonder why?  

Consider a family in a developing country, perhaps in another corner of the world. All seven members of the family live in a shack that is ready to collapse.  They are not sure when they will be able to get food for the next meal-a sad reminder that man has not been able to rid the world of hunger and poverty.  Yet, there are many families on earth who confront  poverty with a happy spirit. Why?

Even in affluent lands, financial problems can develop. A family in Japan bought their house at the height of the economic  "bubble." Feeling assured of future raises, they took on  heavy mortgage payments.  When the "bubble" burst, however, they could longer make payments and had to sell their house at a price far below what they had paid. Though they do not live in the house anymore, the family is still paying off the debt for it. To add to the burden, they are struggling to pay the bills resulting from unwise use of credit cards. The father bets on horses and the family sinks deeper into debt. Many families, though, have made adjustments that have resulted in happiness. Would you like to know how? 

Next time: A SATISFYING LIFE How to Attain It - Conclusion of A Satisfying Life -Just a Fantasy?

From The Watchtower magazine