Mick Jaggar and the Rolling Stones proposed that, “We can’t always get what we want… but we get what we need”. I see this as a positive assessment of reality. Since the onset of Covid19, everyone has taken hits. Plans and populations have been decimated as circumstances beyond our control shaped our lives. Economies and ecosystems have also been greatly affected. One silver lining has been that pollution generated by the travel industry has reduced, perhaps giving the planet a few cleaner breathes. But the reality is that nobody is getting what he or she wants right now.
In Bali, the Tony Raka gallery outside of Ubud has represented me for over a decade. Last month, Tony’s grandmother came down with Covid and Tony had to take her to the hospital. Soon after that, his son also tested positive for Covid. Fortunately, everyone has recovered and life goes on. But after telling me about his recent challenges, with all the calmness of the Buddha, Tony advised, “Now isn’t the time to get what we want, but to appreciate what we have”. I see this as a positive assessment of reality and it encourages me to downsize my lifestyle instead of always clamoring for more. Mick and Tony offer a simple message I try to embrace. My thinking goes like this; if I can be truly grateful for what I already have, then I’ve already done the heavy lifting.
