I used to fill that feeling of "is this all there is?" with a faith community. But for me, for reasons too long to go into here, faith was something I couldn't stay with. So, now, I fill that with service to other people. It gives me a purpose and a sense of being about "something bigger". I love that you asked this question and I think it is really important. I wish you all the best.

I think this is what holidays and vacations were meant for. Something to look forward to.

I'm human, so I always wonder what more may be out there. That old flame, that job when I was younger in an exciting city.

But I'm happy and have a family that loves me (and I love back). My favorite activity is still staying up late with some drinks and talking with my husband.

There will always be stressors, but I think I'm really lucky.

Like other PPs I have lost close family members to unexpected things like cancer and heart attack. I’m grateful for my happy, "humdrum" life every single day.

You didn't say if you're happy or not. If you are happy (good relationship with spouse, kids, parents/other family members, good friends, a job you don't hate, no depression or anxiety or other mental health issues) then yes that's a good life and it's "it" in terms of enough to qualify as a good life. If you have an unhappy marriage, kids who have all sorts of issues, are estranged from your parents/family of origin, hate your job, suffer from depression...then all the things you listed could be true but I wouldn't describe it as a good life just a better than it could be life.

It's a good material life you describe, for sure. But you could have all that and have a awful relationship with your spouse and no close friends, and then I wouldn't consider it a good life.

That said, you can and should always feel grateful for having the material security you describe.

We have it good, no doubt about it. There are many nights when I'm falling asleep that I feel immense gratitude for the simple act of sleeping in a warm, comfortable bed.

I had a chaotic childhood, my parents are troubled people who fought a lot and I was an only child. It was very sad and lonely. All I wanted was a happy marriage and to give my kids the "perfect" family. Obviously no family is perfect but my three kids have everything I didn't growing up. Anytime I feel myself taking this life for granted I just think about how it could end tomorrow. A good friend died a few years ago and left a three year old daughter and devastated husband. I try not to take a single day for granted. Before I know it my kids will be grown and I will never get these years back.

That's the good life. Appreciate it.

We lived for a number of years in a developing country for work. While it was great, I remain grateful every day that our skies are blue, our air is clean, and our grocery stores are ridiculously full of food.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's it. We suffer from a lack of problems, it makes our life's purpose seem mundane. I come from a developing country, my dad used to say people there are happier because every time you turned on the faucet and clean water came out you'd feel like you'd won the lottery all over again.

This. Every time I take a bath it thrills me. I have an unlimited supply of clean, safe, HOT water on demand. I live better than a queen! In my bathroom, an abundant supply of effective and safe medication. In my kitchen, spices from all over the world, a month's supply of dry goods, and in my magic chilly cold box, two entire pounds of butter! Seriously, it's only in the last 0.0001% of human history that we have had these things. It's amazing.

I smiled because I also marvel at hot showers every day, having grown up with cold bucket baths in another country. We are so, so lucky.

Anonymous wrote:That's it. We suffer from a lack of problems, it makes our life's purpose seem mundane. I come from a developing country, my dad used to say people there are happier because every time you turned on the faucet and clean water came out you'd feel like you'd won the lottery all over again.

This. Every time I take a bath it thrills me. I have an unlimited supply of clean, safe, HOT water on demand. I live better than a queen! In my bathroom, an abundant supply of effective and safe medication. In my kitchen, spices from all over the world, a month's supply of dry goods, and in my magic chilly cold box, two entire pounds of butter! Seriously, it's only in the last 0.0001% of human history that we have had these things. It's amazing.

I live that like and let myself feeling grateful for it by thinking of all the people I know who had the same, but then we’re suddenly diagnosed with cancer. Many didn’t make it. Happened to them, so could happen to me just as easily.

That's it. We suffer from a lack of problems, it makes our life's purpose seem mundane. I come from a developing country, my dad used to say people there are happier because every time you turned on the faucet and clean water came out you'd feel like you'd won the lottery all over again.

Yup that's it. But I think without some element of service to others outside your immediate family, it would feel a little blah.

Sounds about right.

I’m wondering if you live in your dream home, your kids are healthy, your kids go to decent schools, you and your spouse are healthy, you are overwhelmed with home cleaning/cooking tasks at times and you are able to take some time for yourself here and there. Is this a good life? Or is there more? Obviously there are always more goals to achieve, hobbies, more travel but at the base level, is this it?