“I wonder if we’ll be satisfied with the results,” I said to Keith, as we ran the HeatTrak on the deck below the dining room windows. This area, on the north side of the house, accumulates snow and ice from what falls from the sky and off the roof. 

Concerned about having the HeatTrak on overnight—not knowing if there would be any danger—I waited until the next morning to plug it in. By then, several inches, maybe a couple of feet, covered the area. 

We saw no real change in the snow and ice the following morning. Digging down to be sure the electricity was connected, I discovered a tunnel of air, which grew over time. Another satisfied customer!

Satisfied with what we have

When we were growing up, my father often told us the story of the Optimist and the Pessimist— the Maine farm boy version: “Once upon a time there were two brothers, an optimist and a pessimist. The Optimist always saw the bright side of things, no matter how unrealistic; and the Pessimist, equally unrealistic, always saw the negative. Much concerned and hoping to balance their perspectives, the boys’ parents came up with a plan. For Christmas, they gave the Pessimist what he had always wanted, a beautiful, expensive watch.

“The Pessimist opened his box and started to worry. ‘Oh, oh! This watch is so precious, I know I’m going to drop and break it.’ And then he did just that. His parents sighed and looked towards their other son.

“When the Optimist opened his gift, he discovered a lump of manure and gleefully exclaimed, ‘Oh, boy! I know there’s a horse around here somewhere!’”

By nature, I am the pessimist, a dour New Englander who struggles to be satisfied with what she has. Materials things—though these days, I’m very happy not to have more. But when younger, I felt I didn’t deserve that expensive watch, and wasn’t good enough for a horse. And appearance? Since our culture values youth and beauty, I could never do enough to meet those standards, which become more and more impossible in the second half of life.

Satisfied with what we look like

“It’s my body, and I’ll cry if I want to,” one of the 1951-ers sang, her take-off of the 60s Lesley Gore hit. How can one be satisfied with all the sagging, dry skin, wrinkles, aches, and pains?

The answer from last week’s Sage Forum post: “As we age, we accumulate scars and need a little—sometimes a lot—of assistance in keeping our bodies in working order. The good news is that as we mature spiritually, we are usually more able to view the image of our bodies from an eternal perspective. We recognize that maintaining our health—our skin, bones, blood, breath, muscles, and brains—allows us to be of service to others while we serve God until he returns.”

Satisfied with who we are

Children of God, beloved, humble, compassionate, kind, meek, patient. Satisfied. Peaceful.

Cornelius Plantinga, as quoted in Michelle Van Loon’s If Only: Letting Go of Regret:

“The word shalom paints a picture of safety, prosperity, completion and wholeness. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight—a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, a state of affairs that inspires joyful wonder as its Creator and Savior opens doors and welcomes the creatures in whom he delights. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.”

Needs satisfied, gifts employed, joyful wonder. Like a HeatTrak, melting the snow and ice inside our hearts.

Linkup with Five Minute Friday: https://fiveminutefriday.com/2025/01/09/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-satisfied/