You Can't Have It All

Why is it that we as humans always want what we can't have? Whether it's that nice designer purse that costs $2,500 or that brand new TV that is bigger and better than anything out there or that really nice camera that costs much more than you should spend. Sometimes it's even people. Kids wanting to be best friends with the cool kid in school. Liking the boy/girl who barely gives you the time of day. Yearning for the love and affection of a parent that is too busy to show they care about you.

I don't know why I've been thinking about this today (ok - let's be honest...I do...but don't want to get into it right now). But I've been wondering - is it our inherent nature to want what we can't have? Or has society made us into these people who always need the next best thing and therefore never satisfied with what we have now? We want the best and are scared to get tied down to something; scared there is going to be something better to come along.

I'm not saying that it's a bad thing to be wanting the love of someone you really care about. I know that had my parents not given me the love and affection they did while I was growing up I would do all that I could to get it from them. But in other relationships, e.g. dating and friendship, why can we not be satisfied with the ones who show they care about us? Why do people go for the boy/girl who makes relationships take so much work? Why do people want to be friends with the popular kids even if they are often rude?

I have a lot of friends who date someone for years - never willing to fully commit to that other person because they are scared there might be someone better who will come along. If you love someone enough to be with them for years, why would you even be looking? Why wouldn't you put all your energy into the relationship you're in and not into worrying about if that guy you just walked by was "the one" instead of the person you love and care about now? If you're constantly looking for someone better than the person you're with then you will eventually find someone. Let's face it - there is always someone better out there. But it doesn't mean they are necessarily better for you. I believe it's our constant desire for something better that makes relationships so hard.

Don't get me wrong. There isn't anything wrong with wanting life to be better. It's when we can't be happy with where we are now that we run into trouble. It is possible to be happy with what we have and where we are in life and still want things to be better. It's might seem contradictory, but I know it's possible. Trust me - I'm there. But I'm also scared I'm starting to fall back into the trap of wanting what I just can't have and I don't know why I keep doing this.

I don't know how I started talking about wanting what you can't have and then moved into not being satisfied with what you've got - but I guess they are kind of related. I don't know. I don't know the purpose of this post. This is just the result of a girl with a lot on her mind and not much to do at work.