One of my friends from college got a pretty decent job after graduation. She bought a new car and got her own apartment. A few years later, she switched companies, received a promotion and bought a house. Most people would see this as a success story, but the truth is she was miserable. The promotion meant longer hours and more responsibilities. The pay increase covered the mortgage and taxes. The more she made, the more she spent...she was barely getting by.
I came across this quote the other day and it sort of speaks to her story...
“There are thousands and thousands of people out there leading lives of quiet, screaming desperation, where they work long, hard hours at jobs they hate to enable them to buy things they don't need to impress people they don't like.”
― Nigel Marsh
I'm a personal trainer at a local gym. I was training a client in September. She was getting ready to go on a trip and asked me what I wanted her to bring me back. I politely told her "nothing." When she returned, she asked what I had done over the weekend. I said that it was my birthday and that I went out to dinner with my family. She asked me what I got for my birthday. My response was "nothing." Then I followed up to make sure that she understood...I received nothing because I asked for nothing...I asked for nothing because there was nothing that I need.
Too many people in this world are never satisfied. They should probably take a good long hard look at what they want vs. what they need.
There is a feeling of liberation that comes with not wanting things.
This holiday season, the season of wanting, I am making it a point to not purchase gifts. Instead, I will offer my family and friends the gift of my time...the gift of an experience, one we can share together...the memory of which will last longer than any store bought item.
No comments:
Post a Comment