"So we're very good in experiencing contentment for short bursts and then it's back to our normal mental mode." That is exactly what I've observed and experienced. Well said!
I often contemplate what it is that leads to a "good life". I am very fortunate in so many ways, yet I allow myself to feel envy, call circumstances unfair because I didn't get what I want, or forget to be grateful. I see my kids growing up not knowing what struggling really feels like and realize that I don't have a true perspective of being without. I'm not saying that I would rather experience the feeling of hunger when you haven't eaten in days or the fear of not having access to medical services if my children or I were sick or injured. It seems that often times people don't "wake up" to an understanding of what truly matters, what really makes a good life, until they have faced tragedy. I don't want to wait for that. Instead, like the article states, I hope to be more considerate of the circumstances others have and are experiencing, thankful for opportunities and pitfalls of each day, and open to other perspectives; and I hope to pass that along to my children.