“The greatest wealth
is to live content
with little.” 
Plato

What does it mean to be successful? What does it mean to be happy and fulfilled in life?

The messages we receive from the outside world often tell us, in a variety of ways, that we need to have or do one thing or another to experience true happiness and fulfillment in life. The advertising industry is based on this belief. Their job is to convince us that we are deprived, yet deserving of the product being sold. It seems to me that the key to experiencing happiness in life is to realize that what we have is enough, and to be content with that.  

Yesterday, in my blog post, I mentioned that my sister, Cathy, has visited 29 foreign countries… and counting… in her lifetime. She is happy, fulfilled, and content. She is living her life to the fullest. I’ve been to only three countries. I, too, am happy, fulfilled, and content. There are certainly a few places I would like to see in person — Palawan, in the Philippines, is one of them. Lake Como, in Italy, is another. And then there’s Switzerland. Images I’ve seen of the Alps are breathtaking. As much as I would like to see these places with my own eyes, I don’t have the desire to travel such distances to do so.

I used to play basketball, tennis, and golf on a regular basis. I used to ride my Raleigh 10-speed bicycle all around the Bay Area. I used to enjoy laying on a beach or by a pool to get tan. I don’t do any of these things anymore, and no one is urging me to do so. My experience of travel is no different. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling in my younger years, but the desire to travel long distances at this point in my life has diminished considerably. Despite this, as recently as last week, I was told by a friend, “You absolutely MUST visit Rome.” I have no doubt that Rome is a special place — a sacred place — but I have no desire to go there. 

While I know it is a poor substitute, I occasionally turn to the internet to familiarize myself with the world. Using Google Images, Google Maps, and YouTube videos, I’ve enjoyed virtual trips to Willemstad in Curacao, Couva in Trinidad, Rome in Italy, Puebla in Mexico, and a number of other international destinations. I’ve used the same resources to visit dozens of cities and towns here in the United States. I have not actually been to any of these places, but I have a sense of familiarity with each locale. Were I to visit any of these destinations now, I am confident that I wouldn’t feel completely lost.

Postcards have traditionally been a component of summer vacations. I recall, from my early childhood, stopping by local souvenir shops to select a few postcards to send to family and friends from places like Santa Barbara, Yosemite, Disneyland, New York, and Boston, to name a few. I would jot down a quick note, address it, and mail it at my earliest convenience. No doubt, the postcard industry has been adversely affected by the growth of email and social media. I honestly cannot remember the last time I sent a postcard. I do, however, appreciate receiving them from my sisters when they travel.

With most of my current-day travel being virtual, I guess I could create a variety of digital postcards from wherever I imagine myself to be. Since I am not using any of the popular social media platforms these days, I could simply email the postcards to family and friends. This would keep everyone sufficiently informed… or confused… as to my virtual whereabouts.

Here’s a sample of what a digital postcard might look like:

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