Humans are never satisfied

As an aunt of 5 energetic nephews and a recent mother, I have come to a realization that kids cannot be 100% satisfied. Ever. You take them to an amusement park and let them ride tons of rides, but then when it's time to leave, they throw a fit and declare this was there worst day ever. You throw them a birthday party yet they still nag about not getting all the gifts they wanted. You give two brothers identical toys of different colors, but the younger one screams and throws himself on the floor because he wants the red one. Contentment is not something common in children these days. And not only is this a problem with children, but even with adults as well. 

Thinking about this reminded me of the Hadith (saying of the Prophet) about the last person to enter Heaven on the day of judgment. The story is a dialogue between this person and God. This person sees a nice tree with a shade and he's tempted to sit under it. He asks God for permission and God first tells him to promise not to ask for anything else. The man agrees and promises not to ask for anything more. Soon a bigger tree is seen from far away and again this man is tempted to go to it. He asks God for permission to go and when God reminds him of the promise, the man says this time I promise it will be the last thing I ask for. God agrees on condition that he doesn't ask for anything else. This same scenario keeps repeating itself as the man sees bigger and better trees. By the end of the story, this man is so close to Paradise that he can hear the people of Heaven speaking to each other. He is tempted to go in, so he asks God to take him into Paradise. What does God tell him? He says "what would you do if I told you to enter Paradise and on top of that I'll give you the world and more". The man then replies and asks if God, Master of the Worlds, was mocking him. God says "I am not mocking you, yet I can do as I please". And then the man enters Paradise. 

This story is filled with lessons for us to learn from. Here is this man who, like children and us adults at times, was not satisfied. He kept asking for more and more, and was not pleased until the very end. Yet the way God reacts to his wants is so clever and merciful. God deals with him in a way that no mother would be able to deal with her demanding child. He doesn't put him down for asking for more, although he kept promising and breaking his promises. God treated him with utmost kindness and openness, for He is The Kind and Generous One. 

Besides the way we deal with children, this story also serves as a reminder to us all that God did not put us on earth in order to be satisfied. Our goal in life is not to simply be content. That's why Heaven was made. THAT is where ultimate satisfaction takes place. One thing that we need to start practicing is to constantly remind ourself of this fact. Kids will not be satisfied fully. Not now and not when they are our age taking our place as parents. We need to start teaching our children that contentment is not our goal in life. Rather, it is to be content with what we have and please our Lord, so we can be given true eternal satisfaction in the afterlife, just like the last person to enter Paradise. He kept wanting more even minutes before entering Paradise. 

May we be content with what we have and may God give us the wisdom to deal with demanding children in a kind, clever way.