I was thinking about contentment and happiness just before and I do think they are different things.  I looked up the meaning of both as is often the case I did like the first paragraph of what I read in Wikipedia.   Though I was not so keen on another that said the definition was “the state of being content.”  Like that tells me heaps - NOT
Wikipedia said, “Contentment is … a state of being or emotion in which one is satisfied with their current life situation, and the state of affairs in one's life as they presently are. If one is content, they are at inner peace with their situation and how the elements in one's life are situated. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to be content with one's life regardless of the circumstance, regardless of whether things are going as one expected or not.
I particularly like the last sentence which says, “Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to be content with one's life regardless of the circumstance, regardless of whether things are going as one expected or not.”
To me that sorta sums up contentment for me.  I reckon I can be content without necessarily displaying the classic attributes of happiness.  A classic and extreme example for me is if a mate dies.  I am not happy.  I miss friends.  Yet I can know contentment I reckon.  Knowing where they are, knowing this is so long rather than good bye.  I am sad they are no longer with me, but content that all is well.
I very much feel the same in seemingly less extreme cases. I may not be thrilled who I work with, or glad about a loved one’s current situation, yet I am content.  It is based on the same premise.  Things beyond my control are in control.  What may appear as chaos to me, is part of a bigger picture, and because I have read the book, I know it all works out in the end.
That is really important to me.  Contentment is not based on external impulses but internal…well, contentment.

I was watching something on Edmund Hillary yesterday and I don’t know - something said was way more impactful than perhaps it should have been, or that I thought it would be.  Apparently, he said something like “the higher I climb the further I can see.”
I guess that impacts me as it is what I want in general terms.  There is something about an enclosed view.  It is not a big picture thing.  Oh there is a time to get down and dirty and to fight my way into a clearing.  Yet I reckon it is so dependant on if the clearing is on my path to where I want to go.
I absolutely need to know what is up ahead to plan.  To know that, I need to get higher to see.  I guess it is why they have towers in scrub to get a good view of any fires that may have broken out so they can deal with the early.
I gain several things by getting higher. I can see if I am still going the way I want to go.  It is incredible how being out one degree means I can miss my mark by kilometres.  I think of the spacecraft aiming for the moon.  One degree out may not look much to start but it is heaps over distance.
The other thing I can see is what lies ahead.  No fighting lasts forever.  I need rest and recouperation.  Climbing high tells me good spots to head to that enhance rest.  I need all my strength for the journey.  Without proper nourishment and rest I am a sitting duck.
I am sure there is heaps of other advantages to getting a good view of what is ahead.  And all this was prompted through Hillery saying “the higher I climb the further I can see.”     I guess climbers would relate it to climbing.  Not me though.  I do not like heights, so I relate climbing to something I do on a personal level.
I am not one who needs to see each step before I do it.  I do though need to know it is the way to go, and the next step to get there. 

We want to do a few things around the place today.
Not long after I finish this, I will pack the car with a number of crates we have of kids toys.  We are taking them to Trash and Treasure to give to them to sell.  We did have a session a while back of selling kids toys but we did not sell that many.  Wrong demographic really.  In times past clients had bought the smattering of toys we had, to give to grandkids.  For this toy sale we did not see many young families come to the pantry and check out our market.
It is changing but as we now keep anything to sell at the pantry at our place, we look for things that move quickly.  We mostly reach our target, and all proceeds go to our pantry.
After delivering those items I will pack the car again for our market tomorrow.  We have a number of things to move.  We have ordered a shed that will go into our carport.  In it we hope to keep crates of donated items and any containers we have for containers for cash.  The aim is to keep our carport neat.  We shall see what happens.
Mid-morning my brother is coming from the sunshine coast to collect some things we ordered for him on-line.  I should say Merril ordered for him.  She is the on-line guru.  I reap the benefits.
The things we ordered for him he is giving to a mate who has been very generous with him.  The mate has no idea.  It is something they will use around the golf course.  My bro loves golf.  He is the most like dad in that respect.  When dad was around, they would talk golf till the cows came home and seemingly relive every shot of their day.  When I rang him yesterday he was watching the US Masters.
I have played and enjoyed a bit of golf in my time, but where my bro stuck with it, I got very fond of table tennis.
Beyond that is an open book.  I do need to prepare for a few things and may or may not do that this arvo.  Anyway, “it’s all good mate.”