How does longing enrich my life?

I wanted to read others’ responses prior to answering because I am not necessarily clear that longing does enrich my life.

My first response to this question is to say that “longing”–to me–implies an incongruity between expectations and reality, a desire. I have been of the belief for a while that suffering is the result of this incongruity, and I see it both in myself and in those close to me. Instead, I have tried to work on grateful acceptance–that is, appreciating what is and accepting what is not. I could go on about this, but I think the most succinct way to express it is the line that Dr. Robert Puff closes each episode of his podcast: “Accept what is, love what is.”

As I think, though, I wonder if–perhaps–the suffering that I see in others is slightly different. I won’t say who, but somebody very close to me has expressed many times a deep dissatisfaction with their life. Not that one thing in particular was wrong, not losing weight or changing jobs or having more money or being in a relationship, just that life wasn’t fulfilling for them on a fundamental level.

For years, I pursued a particular career path, usually working hours every week in addition to my full-time job. I certainly became frustrated and discouraged at times, but–to me–those emotions still imply having some hope, some longing, some desire. Along with that came me imagining a better future, thinking about what was to come, my career taking off and what I would accomplish.

Recently, for a variety of reasons, I have found myself in a different place, feeling directionless. This, to me, has been far more depressing and scarier than anything I went through before. Recently, the instructor of a class I am taking said (I’m paraphrasing from memory), “Show me a man who thinks about the past, and I’ll show you a man who is depressed.”

It’s not that I’m necessarily thinking about the past now, but I’m not really thinking about the future, and–when I do–it feels vast and scary. I wonder if the longing I had before was giving me the motivation to move forward toward something and if that is the suffering I see in others.