Being Comfortable is Less Important than You'd Think

Everybody likes being comfortable, right? Think about it: in Tokyo we are surrounded by comforts and conveniences. We have air conditioning, iPods, mobile phones, internet access, convenience stores...the list goes on and on. Our lives without certain conveniences are hard to imagine and nothing that most of us would wish for. But about a month ago I heard someone talk about a recent realization he'd had: comfort can be overrated.


He had just spent a week working as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, building houses for impoverished people in the Philippines. While he was there, he was away from many things that people in Tokyo enjoy everyday, like e-mail and (usually) tolerable temperatures. At first, he was not looking forward to being away from those things, but after a few days he understood that the work he was taking part in was so much more important, and that the things he was learning through his experience were also very valuable. If he had stayed where he was comfortable, he wouldn't have gone through that time of personal growth. Sometimes a little discomfort is required in order to enrich not only our own lives but also the lives of others.


Now, I have to admit that his message weighed on me for a few days. Still now, weeks later, I am periodically reminded of the truth of his words. Even without an experience as poignant as his, I can still see small examples of this in my own life. Removing the focus from myself and my own comfort helps me to more easily notice the needs of others, like maybe when one of my housemates is tired and could use a little help with something, or when one of my friends is feeling troubled and needs someone to talk to. If I am too focused on myself, I may not be so perceptive to how other people are feeling. When I am not worried about discomfort, I may be less likely to complain about trivial things, too. The point is, when we become too focused on getting or keeping the things that make our lives easier, it can become far too easy to develop the habit of prioritizing our own comfort over other more valuable things, like how we can serve others.


Admittedly, that idea can be a tough pill to swallow. Not many people actually like to think about giving up things that make their lives easier. But neither am I suggesting that we eliminate everything from our lives that makes us feel comfortable. (Switching off your air conditioner won't necessarily result in direct, tangible benefits in your life or the lives of others, for instance.) The important thing is to remember not to let your pursuit of comfort get in your way, and to remember that the comfortable choice isn't always the best choice or even the right choice. In the end, I think the satisfaction of doing good for others whenever we can is a lot more gratifying than what we can get from living comfortably.

▼▽▼▼【講師】Melanie先生のバックナンバー━━━━━━━━

・【What We Can Learn From Japanese Culture】2010.06.25 (Fri)