Money cannot and does not buy happiness.
This is something people in society today will post on their Facebook, print t-shirts of, proclaim from the mountain tops; it is also something that the majority of them do not really believe.
At a recent event some ladies were speaking about how they admired another woman who had reached great heights in the company. They mentioned that she had not one, but two nannies because she had to travel so much. After that they spoke about how they wanted to be her. Some of these women also had kids and made use of nannies.
In our society money is the principal badge of honor. Everyone will say that it is not, but they are not being truthful; money commands respect, is admired and people always want more of it in the deluded belief that they can buy all their happiness later so long as they continue to make more money.
Kids are treated as possessions, just another thing that is owned and can be brought out at parties to show off, to show that the parents have accomplished something. The idea that both men and women “can have it all,” with a full, professional work life and be a great parent is also false. One must be sacrificed in order to really do well at the other.
Both parents must often work out of necessity, but in this society it is also often true that both parents do not need to work; there is enough money, the parents just want to buy more things. Everyone compares just like children. Parents tell their children not to compare but then do the exactly what they’ve just told their children to avoid doing. It is a rare occasion to find an adult who is truly happy and can escape the endless chase for money, who continually compares and always wants more. These are the people that attract others because they have a brilliant light inside them, a light that others would like to have as well.
I remained quiet in this conversation until one asked me in utter amazement “How does she do it, kids and a career.” My one word answer was something they had already mentioned which was ‘nannies.’ They do not want to hear that they’re letting someone else raise their kids, that their kids will learn more from the nannie, prefer to be comforted by the nannie, and actually wish that the nannie was their real mom. They just want to gain more power, more money and call each other ‘amazing.’
Then the subject of ‘house husbands’ came up and I enthusiastically raised my hand – I would be the first one to sign up! You see, many adults get their self worth from their jobs and from how much money they make. The issue with house husbands is that since a homemaker is traditionally done by women men might feel ashamed. It is too bad they are not more enlightened! Self confidence and self worth can come from much better places than if your cubicle has a window and the paycheck has more than a few digits! Life is full of wonderful activities that the kids can also participate in on a daily basis!
But no, men and women today want to sit in the cubicle away from their kids, spending precious time that will never be recovered in the belief some expensive bobble down the road will make up for it. It wont. Men and women want to say look at me, I have a Lexus, I have a vice-something as a title on my business card, I want respect!
The people I respect the most are the ones who know how to live life well. They treasure time spent with family, friends and appreciate the beauty of the world we live in.
So MD, listen to me on this one. Money has a very limited value and you only need to make enough to support your family, have some interesting experiences and save for the future. Consider free time as a different type of currency, one that is infinitely more valuable than money and spend it freely with family and friends. One can always acquire more money but time is something that is in very limited supply and once spent is time you’ll never have again.
It is such a pity that most people value money over time. Seems like such a simple lesson and it is difficult to believe many will never learn it.
