What do you want from life?

The Tubes ask in a song "What do you want from life?"  It's an odd tune, as most of their stuff is, but it still got me thinking.  

There are a few things that I believe people are very lucky/fortunate/blessed to have.  Some days it saddens me that I don't have these things.  Call it jealousy, call it envy, call it whatever you like...I call it wistful.  I do have many things for which I consider myself lucky.  But there are some things I just can't seem to get away from missing...these are them...

 

- Family. I put it First because * FAMILY COMES FIRST *. As a potter moulds clay to form a beautiful creation, so does the strong bond of family and good values. Family bonds are a link to our beginning and a guide to our future. Early influences are fundamental to our individual development. We all want to "belong" and feel accepted. A sense of belonging is derived from the strong bond of family. Family is where our roots take hold and from there we grow. We are molded within a unit, which prepares us for what we will experience in the world and how we react to those experiences. Values are taught at an early age and are carried with us throughout our life. From trusting that someone will pick us up when we fall, as a toddler, to someone being there for us as we experience the storms in life - family bonds help to instill trust and hope in the world around us and belief in ourselves. Rituals of bedtime stories, hugs, holidays and daily meals shared together, provide a sense of warmth, structure and safety. These rituals and traditions, not only create memories and leave a family legacy, but create our first path in life - one that is positive. 

Big family gatherings, phone calls, holidays, people to care for and who care about you. Being a part of something bigger than yourself; a source of identity; a place of trust, comfort and protection. 
A family. 

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." - Jane Howard 

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- Friends.  In my experiences with both good and bad friendships, I would have rather a friend with me at the time instead of being alone. At the time of each friendship, I have made good memories and would never want to change any of them, for me, each of them have taught me a lesson. Whether it was a positive or negative lesson, I learned from each friendship and grew to be a better friend.

The conventional wisdom is that good friendships enhance an individual's sense of happiness and overall well-being. But a number of solid studies support the notion that strong social supports improve  prospects for good health and longevity. For me, I think..

1) Good friends encourage their friends to lead more healthy lifestyles;

2) Good friends encourage their friends to seek help and access services, when needed; 

3) Good friend enhance their friend’s coping skills in dealing with illness and other health problems; and/or 

4) Good friends actually affect physiological pathways that are protective of health.

Inviting people over, going over for coffee, making plans for parties, nights out, and dinners. Such a wonderful source of love, care and support.
 Life is more fulfilling.  

"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection."- Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama

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- Health.  Probably the most important thing in life. The concept of being healthy is a composition of different facets of life. It includes physical well-being, which can be brought about by a healthy diet and exercise; it constitutes the maintenance of health through proper precaution and cures for physical ailments. The conveniently ignored facet of being healthy is the mental well-being. One's happiness and positivism are highly influential in the maintenance of one's health.
To progress in life, one need to receive some sort of formal or practical education and then earn one's living. To meet one's basic needs in life and survive; one needs to be healthy. Different streams of education involve different amounts of physical and mental activity. Physical and mental activity is an integral part of every profession or field of work. To perform these activities effectively, one needs to be healthy. At almost every walk of life, one needs to socialize. During one's years of education, one is required to socialize with one's classmates. Similarly, human interaction accompanies every form of work. Most of the professions need collective efforts of teams. For each individual of a group to be able to give his/her best, it is important for the individual to be healthy. 
As a part of society, every human being has a set of duties to perform. Each individual has certain family responsibilities as also some responsibilities towards the society. For an individual to be able to shoulder these responsibilities, it is important for him/her to be healthy. To make progress in a society, to work towards the betterment of society, to contribute to an overall social welfare and thus be a valuable asset of society, it is extremely important to be healthy.
As one grows from a child to an adult, one's set of rights and responsibilities expands. In order to perform one's duties and implement one’s rights effectively, it is absolutely important to be healthy. To raise a family, to bring up your children, to take care of the aged in your family, you need to be healthy. 
Health and happiness go hand in hand. To live life to the fullest and enjoy every bit of it, it is extremely important for us to be healthy!

If you are Healthy, You don’t have to suffer frequent or chronic physical pain and disease. This, by itself, is already a huge incentive! You do not have to live in constant fear of developing (or having already developed) a life-threatening illness.

You can save time and money on doctors, drugs and hospital visits. You will have more energy and vitality, and thus can do more things with the same amount of time i.e. increased productivity and efficiency. As you fall sick less often, time spent recuperating and “out of action” will be lessened. You will probably live longer. The time saved and “gained” can be spent with your loved ones. The time saved and “gained” will also enable you to do things which you otherwise would not have the time for. The increased energy and vitality means you can do things, including your work and hobbies, better i.e. increased quality. You will be able to better enjoy what you do. Again, this includes both work and play. You will be better able to enjoy physical activities, such as your favorite sports. You may in fact be able to stretch yourself and do things which would otherwise be impossible, such as climbing a mountain. You will be able to enjoy more and better sex. You will be able to think clearer. You will enjoy better emotional wellbeing. You will enjoy better spiritual health, and have a closer relationship with God. In old age, you will be able to keep up and play with your grandchildren. By not being ill, you will not have to be a burden on your loved ones, and on society. In fact, by being healthy, you will be better positioned to take good care of your loved ones. Good health will also make you physically more able to extend a helping hand to others.

"It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver." -  Mohandas Gandhi

  

Of course there are other things like money, fame, real estate....but those are bonuses that sometimes just aren't in the cards.  They aren't necessary to one's well being.  Other things, like being thin, piloting a plane or writing a novel, can be worked at, striven for and quite possibly attained.

But some things, well, some things just aren't ours for the taking.  We are dealt a certain amount of our circumstances and we must work within them.   The trick is learning how to do that.

Do you have any of these kinds of wishes?  Circumstances you'd love to change but realize that they never will?  How have you learned to live with them?

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And now for truly strange....I looked up images for "circumstance" after writing this blog and found the following.  The wildest thing of note >> 

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