To be at least modestly happy, we all have to find at least a basic level of contentment

Some have an easy time with this, as if they had a built in leveler that keeps them on an even keel.

Some would like to find contentment but they don’t even know where to look. So they try a lot of things, just like trying on clothing until you find what fits and seems right.

And if those I interviewed told me the truth, some don’t think about contentment at all.

“That must be a girlie thing,” said one guy who insisted guys don’t think about finding contentment.

“We just live our life the way it falls. We do what we have to do and when we can we do what pleases us. But we don’t sit around talking about whether we are contented or not,” he said,

Sometimes that leads to a move that surprises others. When Don suddenly told us he was leaving his wife, we were surprised because never once did he indicate he wasn’t happy. Then all of a sudden he just moved out and moved away.

I am definitely someone who thinks about levels of contentment and how that affects so much of life.

God gave us all different gifts and one gift he seems to have given me is the gift of contentment. No matter what I had or didn’t have, I’ve always been contented.

During the Christmas season our church had a big drive to make sure every child, regardless of circumstances, had at least one very nice gift.

It made me think back to the sad Christmas when my father moved out and my mother told us they were getting a divorce.

We had a Christmas tree but no gifts for me or my little brother because there was no money.

My mother told me to take my 3-year-old brother to the American Legion where every child that showed up was given a gift. My brother was happy with his truck and I even got a nice gift.

It was a little xylophone that came with its own play-by-number music book. That little toy gave me hours and hours of fun. I played it for years.

When I think about those memories I recall the happiness I had learning to play all the songs in the book.

Even at a young age I was able to find some joy in trying circumstances. And I definitely was happy with what I had.

On the other hand, my little brother developed what we called the “I would be happy if” syndrome.

At 7, as we walked the boardwalk with my father, my brother’s eyes got big when he spotted a red plastic truck in a window.

“Please, Daddy, if you buy me the truck I’ll be happy and never ask for anything else,” he promised.

Throughout his growing years, that line became a family joke: “If you buy it for me I’ll be happy and never ask for anything else.”

That little boy grew into a man who still believed his own line. If only he had this, or if only he had that, he would be happy and never ask for anything else.

He still longed for a truck, a real one. He growled his dissatisfaction with life and longed for a four-wheel drive truck.

When he told me the price of the truck, I reminded him that was as much money as he paid for his house.

“But it’s what I need to make me happy,” he said. “A trailer in the mountains and a four-wheel drive truck. What else could a man need?” he asked rhetorically.

Happiness, in his mind, was always one purchase away.

Many of us think happiness is around the next corner, with the next purchase, the next new relationship or the next opportunity.

Chasing after things seldom leads to personal contentment.

But the “I will be happy when” kid fooled me. He found the inner happiness he was seeking.

He found a good deal on an old rat-infested trailer in the mountains then devoted himself to turning it into a livable mountain retreat.

It took a lot of time and hard work but he was invigorated by being outdoors and having his little mountain sanctuary.

Lo and behold, he told the truth. After he had the mountain cabin he was content. He didn’t want more of anything.

He thrives on being surrounded by nature and enjoying all the outdoor experiences the mountain offers.

When he calls me I hear the happiness in his voice when he tells me about the family of deer that visit early in the morning, the occasional bear that lumbers by and the bald eagle that must have a nest near the cabin.

He trimmed down from walking the mountain and revels in enjoying each season.

It’s such a joy to talk with him and I am proud of him. He has grown wiser in so many ways.

Best yet, he shares his outdoor lifestyle with his daughter. They both know they have found true contentment in that little mountain retreat. Neither one longs for anything more.

We all have the potential for contentment within us. We just have to find what works for us.

Contact Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net.