Faced with a demanding problem, have you ever compared your life with the apparently charmed lives of others? More than once I've heard someone ask, "Why is everyone else happier (or healthier or wealthier) than I am?" I've said it myself.
Upon reflection, I wondered if such a lament might be less innocuous than it seems. Doesn't it sometimes suggest that ideal circumstances— which we're sure some people have—are what bring happiness? If we believe this, we'll always be subject to some discontent.
A closer look at lives that may seem more serene than ours usually reveals that they include challenges too. But more basically, is real contentment to be found even in pleasant situations?
