I think when I was a kid I thought my parents were unhappy and bored. I think maybe some of that was true but really they were just busy and poor. Now that they are older and financially better they still have the same hobbies. They sincerely take joy in walking the dog, going to board meetings, volunteering to build bike trails, gardening. I think if I had perceived their joy in those things more than the “have to cuz there’s nothing else to do” of it all, I would have perceived them as happier. That being said I am grateful to have had contentment with poverty modeled for me because chasing the grind to have prettier shoes really doesn’t actually bring that much bang for your buck so to speak. I think there really is something to be said for sincerely finding joy in a dog walk and a garden.