from buddhanet.net

Suffering is inevitable, but misery is optional. Many of us, I believe, lead a life much better than those in the Third World Countries. However, we are still dissatisfied. There are things abound that we find imperfect or painful, and so suffering arises. We seldom see that what we have is already enough to give us the comfort that we need.

Some rejecters of Buddhism stop at the First Noble Truth (Life is full of dissatisfactions)-proclaiming the Buddha to be pessimistic and brooding over suffering. However, we as Buddhists know that there is the Fourth Noble Truth-the way out! While  the Buddha teaches us to be content, to treasure what we have, we are not expected to stop at agreeing with the First Noble Truth-true and total happiness is possible.