Satisfaction

Call Me was a popular song in the early 80s by the group called SKYY. It goes-‘call me if you need someone to talk to. Satisfaction guaranteed’.

 Don’t you smell a rat? Now if I call you for talking how on earth can you guarantee satisfaction? All you will do is provide a listening ear, abi na anoda thing yu wan provide?

Everybody with something to sell promises satisfaction in today’s world yet satisfaction is still a rare commodity for all the sales men are lairs. You pay and like Mick Jagger and the rolling Stones get no satisfaction, just one more product or service you can do without.

So what is satisfaction? Where does it come from and what does it do to you?  How does one get satisfied with food, drink, love, money, the weather, the holiday, family, the economy, life, career, one’s state of fitness, knowledge, social status and influence, cars, boats and jewellery?? I do not know. Does satisfaction float into your body while in bed or do you go looking for it armed with a net and some bait? One thing a do know a bit about is dissatisfaction. That is easy to understand. A lady who works in a drug store once told me that their main money earner was hair dyes. It seems no one is satisfied with being bestowed with grey hair anymore. Neither are people satisfied with how they look or smell hence the plastic surgical operations, anabolic steroids and perfumes.  For many disappointed with their moods recreational drugs with the promise of a good time abound. If relationships or location generate displeasure, relocation is the word. As for length of hair, dissatisfaction has its remedy.  Unfortunately, satisfaction is always elusive especially when it is intentionally sought for. The harder you seek, the less likely you are to find it. In 1974 the group B.T Express offered what appeared to be sound advice. Their prescription for fulfilment was perseverance and tenacity. Their song went – Do it till you’re satisfied, whatever it is.

 If only it were that easy.

Sometimes I think the dissatisfied affluent people of this world should feel cheated that people in poorer ends of the earth can get satisfaction from air, water and cheap food. Contrasts these two families. The Olufemis and the Thompsons. The Olufemis live in a Lagos ghetto and one evening sent one of the kids to buy soup at a local restaurant while mama made Garri to go with the soup. When food was served on the floor in large plastic trays they gave thanks to God and ate as a family with everyone sitting in a circle around the garri and soup. Papa, mama and five kids all laughed and joked, each commenting on how much pleasure they were deriving from the meal. At the end of their food some of the kids started a dance as music from next door drifted in through the window. They even had the audacity to go tell the neighbour to repeat Skelewu when he changed the track.

The Thompsons had dinner served by servants on the table. They ate in silence, surrounded by the finest things money could buy in their gated community mansion. At the end of the meal each one said good night and retired to their rooms without a smile. Mr and Mrs Thompson and their two kids seemed in a bad mood.

Now these two meals happened on the same evening.  The Thompsons all surfed the internet from their rooms for hours while the Olufemis relied on each other for company and had a lot of laughs in the process.  The Thompsons connected with the world while the Olufemis connected with each other.

Since I have no clue what satisfaction is and no one around me appears to know I decided read the Bible to see what it said about satisfaction.

 Ecclesiastes 6V2 – God gives a man wealth, possessions and honour, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless. A grievous evil.

Getting your heart’s desire may not bring satisfaction especially if the ‘chip’ for satisfaction in your brain has been removed. It is possible to accumulate mountains of stuff for the feasting of the eyes but fill empty inside. The heart’s desire is a strange thing. The desire promises so much but never delivers. No different form an advert on TV.  

Those who don’t achieve their heart’s desire are sad and become envious of someone who did. Those who achieve it are sad for they wonder, ‘so, is this all there is?’

Satisfaction is almost impossible to describe but you tend to know when you have got it.

Ecclesiastes 12v 13- Now that all has been heard; here is the summary of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.

Just do your duty and grab your satisfaction (Whatever satisfaction means). Osheee!!!!

Babawilly

Dr Wilson Orhiunu

1-9-2014