Tuesday, May 3, 2005

"Research...has shown that once your basic needs are met, additional income does little to raise your sense of satisfaction with life."

TIME, January 7, 2005; p. A5

There are very few of us who wouldn't want just a little more "additional income." Even if we have a little excess in our monthly account, we wouldn't turn down a few more bills.

But research, history and human experience seem to show that once one's basic needs are met, additional income does little [yes, it's seems hard to believe, but does LITTLE] to raise your overall sense of satisfaction with Life. Having said that, the research begs the questions:

• What would you consider to be your "basic needs?"
• And how do you define your "overall sense of satisfaction?"

Tough questions to conceptualize, but consider this...

As I inform my son Leo on several occasions each month, "There is a big difference between what we want and what we need." We are amazingly constructed creatures; composed of endless wants and finite needs. And the endless struggle between the two. And what is the deciding factors?

Security. Love. Friendship. Nourishment. Shelter. Each are basic physical needs, but also emotional/psychological needs. We each have a need to feel safe, feel loved, feel connected, feel nurtured and feel sheltered - both physically and emotionally. Basic needs, but necessary needs... nothing extra, but every one of them extraordinary to our own self satisfaction.

And the rest? They're frosting - beyond the basic needs, they only bring on sweetness for a moment. The meat of what matter lies beneath the frosting, my friend, in a double-layered self satisfaction of Life.