Betty by Gary Delainey and Gerry Rasmussen for February 11, 2025

Sometimes people just give you stuff.

It means don’t always be wanting more, no matter how much you have. Be satisfied with what you’ve got.

The staff was demanding a raise.

GoComics was raising the price.

Some of what we have we have through need. You may need a car to get to work if there isn’t public transportation, but you don’t need a fancier car than one that gets you to work and back home. That’s just the desire to appear more important.

It works if you apply it to a marriage…

You get it through work and need.

Only when needs has been met do people start to “desire”.

He is happiest who is content with least.

Enough is as good as a feast.

You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you get what you need.

The dog carrying a bone by a river saw his reflection in the water; in trying to get the other dog’s bone, he lost his own.

Epicurus is saying to learn to be satisfied with enough. If “what you have” is “what you needed”, not “what you desired”, then you can still be happy.

I think George Carlin said it better with his bit about “stuff”.

when I read through my list of favored comics, I’m happy with what I have. But I come back tomorrow wanting more.But I can agree with a teacher telling their charges to keep their hands off of his desk.