Sunday, October 30, 2005

The need of money or the need of wealth

Everyone has needs.
We need air, water and food to survive.
The moment the 3 main needs are fulfilled, its noticed that we learn to have cravings.
Cravings beyond the 3 basic needs.
And these cravings feed off the five basic senses that we have.
Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch, Hear. Its so amazing, these five senses.
If we give it a little more thought, these five senses are detected by sensory organs which all have its highest sensitivity near the brain.
As technology brings us more products that can satisfy our cravings in the five senses, more money is needed to buy these equipment to give our five senses the pleasure that is craved.

In the past, people barter trade. 1 cow for 40 chickens. The marketplace was a location where traders brought their farming produce to trade for other produce. Money was not invented yet.
Well, as people got smarter, they knew it was not clever to bring 40 cows to the marketplace.
Money was the intermediate asset for easier barter trade. An object of exchange with equivalent value to the item meant for trade.

So as we evolve, money seemed to be thought of as the object that can satisfy our cravings.
But money isn't something that can do that. It is a mere intermediate product of exchange. A currency. A prefix. Stuff a hundred dollar bill into your pants, you sure aren't going to get any pleasure off your sense of touch.

Men and women of today are so engrossed in the chase of the currency that it is forgotten that the craving that they desperately need to fulfill cannot be achieved with mere abundance of currency. Give a man a million dollars and throw him in a desert without any basic amenities.
Can his five sensory organs gain any pleasure?

Money can satisfy the sensory cravings we have. It doesn't take an abundance of money to do that. If we can understand the need for money is to merely fulfill our 3 basic needs and our 5 sensory cravings, we actually have no need to crave for an abundance of money. We merely have to manage our cravings. Thus the need for money is inconsequential because money is just a prefix. If we can manage our cravings and understand that a balance of money to our needs and cravings is achievable, then infinite wealth is possible, because with control, our needs and cravings will never exceed the money which we regularly receive in a limited amount.

So if you are someone whom is chasing after the dollar sign so hard, remember that money itself is not something that can fulfill your cravings. And to those whom cravings requires them to chase $ in abundance, rethink the cravings and balance it.

Beyond the 3 basic needs and 5 cravings, if money is spent out of this needs and cravings, it means that money is used for something more useful, for the better good of others than for the purpose of the owner himself. Then that perhaps defines a wealthy person, enough for himself and capable of giving others as well..

Today is 30th Oct 2005. Time is 11:02am.
If there's anyone whom feels the desperate craving to give out money, kindly drop it inside my pocket.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Internal Monologue

I am no fan in almost any sports.
In fact, I don't even exercise much.
The only kind of workout I prefer is actually running.. Funny that this is coming from a guy whom is severely overweight..
But yes, running is my cup of tea.
I do not run against anyone nor do I run with anyone.
Most times, I'd have the weird feeling that I have to run and off I go, in my running shoes.
Sometimes, I'd even go in the dead of the night, ie midnight hour.

Usually, the feeling of the need to run is often fueled by my having to buy new pants and realising nothing fits perfectly..... well, C'est La Vie.

Though I do not regularly run, I actually do enjoy my runs whenever I do it.
It gives me time to talk to myself. And No, at this point of time, if you are thinking I need to see a psychologist, my answer is "no". I do not need to pay someone thousands of dollars so that he can teach me how to reach my inner self. I already achieved that and that is through running.

Running gives me a space and time where I can really communicate with myself.
Well, firstly, I always tell myself the distance and time of the run and during the actual run, the 2 personalities of mine actually communicates to each other in order to fill the void and null the drudgery of the run.

It is amazing how much is achieved during the run, other than sweat and aching muscles.
Often, I have a clearer mind after each run on what I need to do in the weeks to come.
And at times, I even realised that my eyesight becomes better, well, maybe not because of the inner monologue, but there's more than one advantage of a run.

Like the advertisement of Nike, where 2 distinct personalities of the same person is being represented as 2 individuals. That is really happening when I run. Perhaps the breathlessness and the tiredness can really cause the mind to go cranky. But in my case, it gives the space for deep thoughts. Sometimes between the good and evil. At times between the past and present.

If you do see me running and my eyes are in a daze, most likely, I am engaged in a interesting conversation with myself.

Today is 16th October 2005
Time is 12:36pm

I just returned from a remedial physical training.
It was tiring but yet enriching to my mind and soul.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

A day to grow up

Four years ago, this day marks the day when I crossed the boundary of a bachelorhood.
Where I walked out of my shell as a single young man and joined a communion partnership of 2.

The past 4 years had been a learning journey on handling a relationship on a higher level.
A partnership for life.
I looked back the 4 years and I see all the sweetness of what Life had offered to the 2 of us.
And there were at some instances where we tasted bitterness and experience sadness.

4 years back, I could not see my future.
4 years since that day, I have learnt to work out how to plan for the future.

Now, when I look into your eyes, I see our future.
Everyday, the future looks more hopeful with our hard work.

Part of our future rests on our prodigal child.
And yet, when I look into her eyes, somehow, I see my past.
It feels like looking into a mirror which is showing a reflection of a younger version of myself..
Only this time, this younger version of myself can be given a better chance.
The chance for this younger version of me to take a better path. A chance for our child to emerge a better person than me.

Today is our 4th year wedding anniversary.
6th October 2001 was the exact date of our exchange of vows.
Everyday has been a miracle for me since.

Today is 6th October 2005.
"Without bitter, no one will ever know how sweet it ever was"
Franklin 19:18
6th Oct 2005