In the media, there is a risk of encouraging materialism by the ironic stories of how you can "save" X amount by Y age.
If hoarding money is not materialism, what is?
Thankfully, there are inspirational stories in the media to counterbalance the lemming worship of money.
I like the story of the ex-gangster and convict that graduates with a law degree at 35.
Ditto for the ex-gangster that turned his life around and became a chef.
Then there are stories on entrepreneurs that braved heavy debts and near bankruptcies to become what they are today. Where others gave up; they soldiered on.
Life is not a straight line extrapolation.
Along the way, there will be setbacks and disappointments.
Sometimes it's not fair.
And not your fault.
We have been lucky too. Getting things we don't really deserve.
Who can admit to have that tinge of guilt behind our success?
But a sense of greatness we do have. However fleeting it may be.
We remember that time we got up after a fall.
Or bouncing back after being punched in the face.
Thank goodness memories and vision in life are told in pictures and stories!
Pity the soul that shares his excel file to his grandchildren:
At 30 I got $100,000
This is Ah Kong at 40 with $1,000,000...
Hey! Don't run away. I got more numbers to show you!
Only the Great ones can take hard knock, fell down and still get up to strike back damn hard.
ReplyDeleteMost of us are better off in dancing around and avoid getting hit.
But, when there are opportunities to strike, don't forget to strike it damn hard.
CW,
DeleteI like your last statement more ;)
Sometimes I think too much, plan too much...
Yes!
ReplyDeleteWithout knowing, without feelings, time has passed. Really our life on Earth is just like someone exhales a puff of cigarette smoke - compare to time infinity. So thinking like that i learn to let go in many things. i learn to let it be. i learn to be more trusting and never mind if i am wrong. i learn to be happier by not worry so much of tomorrow. i learn why worry too much for the next moment you are not here anymore. And that's the end of your story. And it doesn't really change a bit to this world.
Hey! i still living. To live means i still have responsibilities on Earth. Back to "work"! Back to "work"!
Hi SMOL,
ReplyDeleteI like this post!
Life is a story. Some like it exciting, some like it bland. However it is told, poetry or prose, it should never be made up of only numerals. Worse are those who make it unnecessary difficult by scribing in morse code. :D
Endrene
Hi EY,
Deletei like the way you say it - especially about the morse code. You and coconut really can say things which we just have to think about.
They says cry or laugh you have to live your life. So.... cry or laugh?
Hi temperament,
DeleteWhen we zoom out, it is often difficult to tell whether we are crying or laughing. They look that same, don't they? Haha.
We live life by feeling. We can feel and not show (like cry or laugh). Learn to be more than what meets the eye? :P
Now, I hope I haven't made my answer to your simple question unnecessarily complex! LOL~
Ha! Ha!
ReplyDeleteYou remind me of my portrait in iPAD PHOTO BOOTH. i have become "psychedelic"
But i usually wear my heart on my sleeve. And because of this, some people may be offended unnecessary. But i make some people very happy too. Therefore i can only befriend people who are open (broad and square) and avoid people who keep everything to themselves. These people scare me.
Hi temperament,
DeleteNow, you are talking about the morse coders!
I wear my heart on the sleeves too and lots of expression on the face. :D
If people want to take offence with you being yourself. So be it. I bet you don't think you are born to be a crowd pleaser, do you?
Well, I think I have my fair share of haters. Somebody scratched my car just last week. Not a deep scratch though. But it is enough to tell me that I probably have an enemy somewhere at the office or the building?!?
Did you scold any of your staff recently?
DeleteLOL!
Hi CW8888,
DeleteQuite certain it can't be my staff. :)
I suspect that hater is probably jealous and perhaps is somebody who doesn't know me personally. I drive a 2-seater convertible (a cheap sportscar actually - Opel Tigra). That alone may attract unwanted attention and perhaps animosity from folks who think drivers of selfish cars are detestable and selfish people?!? Well, I have let it slide without being really upset. And this incident made me realise that increasingly, I'm getting more and more detached from material things. A good outcome, I must say. :)
Endrene,
DeleteThumbs up!
Yes, it's just things ;)
It's so silly and sad looking back at the old me...
I was one of those who were "slave" to my new possessions - although not that extreme like those who don't remove the plastic covers on the seats of their new cars! LOL!
A tiny scratch on my HP; or a stain on a new shirt will cause me "pain". Now I treat them as wear and tear character markings - like the age spots on my face.
Interesting how the younger at heart we become, the less baggage we carry ;)
It's so nice to wake up this Sunday morning and "watch" this interesting conversation between an elder and a "da mei mei".
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought my coffee in hand was stimulating enough!
1) temperament,
May the light of his Grace continue to scintillate on you.
Yes, it's back to "work" while we are still breathing. At the pearly gates of St. Peter, when they ask what have we done with our lives, I don't think they meant KPIs. It's our "work"?
2) Endrene,
Tip: Don't ever play poker or mahjong. You're a dead giveaway!
With such a "weak" hater, I don't know whether to cry or laugh...
Hi SMOL,
Deleteo.Oh, so that hater should have smashed my windscreen, hammered my car boot, and punctured my tyres? LOL~
No big deal. Live and let live. Honestly, people with such mindset/behaviour will be trapped in unhappiness. It's their choice anyway. Bless their souls.
Go to JB. May be car also disappear.
DeleteHa! Ha!
Deletei always tell my wife how nice i can fold up my car like the art of Origami; whenever i feel "insecure inside".
i woke up today (monday) only realised that i'm still in a billiard saloon haha, or at least my minds are.
ReplyDeleteand a few hundred dollars richer!
car scratcher? try looking from a trader's point of view.
coconut,
DeleteYou must be a good hustler!
na, playing with these guys is like hitting eggs with hammer (haha), i know it, they knew it too! its all about fun.
Deletevery soon, that few hundred dollars will soon be on the dinner table, i guarantee it!
haha, ya, we all put our nick names on the white board, this guy "hustler king" lost over 100 bucks haha.
Deleteand the reason why he got this name recently cos he manage to sell us some health products which was totally useless.
DeleteLOL!
DeleteSo multi-level marketing is still alive and kicking!
Eh? Normally, health "benefits" takes a life time before you can see the results (or non-performance)...
So your friend's "health product" must be the "salute the flag pole" kind ;)
Careful hor!
its more of a scam kind of things, we knew it, or very least i knew its totally worthless before i bought it! (tell you the truth, i bot quite a few items and even my wife is complaining haha)
Deletewhat to do? some time i have to be the sucker if not who?
oh now i get you, what "salute the flag pole"!
Deleteofcos i'm not that stupid to try it, anyway i don't need it (for now) ahm.
Yes yes. If it works, you wife won't complain ;)
DeleteI think I better stop. Wait my blog kenna slap with RA rating.
don't worry, when she start complaining, then i'll do something, anything haha....
Delete