Life Is For Rent

[Justin24]

So I am sitting here at my desk at work (yay) and I got to thinking.

Life is weird and full of mystery. It's weird that people meet on a message board and we talk and talk for a year or two and we conncet and become friends with out meeting each other. We have never talking physically face to face but we tend to think of that person as good and a friend. This goes with meeting people in real life too. Someone you don't know you start a conversation with can lead to so many possibilities.

Another thing I wonder is the nature of us as people. Most of the population will never be rich, successful. Then we have the small few who are that, rich and successful. Now those who are rich and successful, are they really happy with themselves or do they grow up to the people they didn't want to be but money is now their life. Where as a small middle class family can be happy with out the luxury of mansions and a 6 figure bank account. Where did family end and materialism begin?

What are your thoughts?

 

[Kiki]

I've found that it's pretty easy to break down the walls of materialism. Some people may not, but when it comes to something materialistic being destroyed or a significant/important relationship being destroyed....always always always destroy or give up the materialistic.

As for having close friends on message boards, etc. for years on end, I believe it's because you can be yourself more so than you may in a first meeting of face to face. You allow yourself to be vulnarable and let the other walls fall down that would likely keep some people from being friends with others.

these are just my thoughts anyway.

 

[BVS]

Another thing I wonder is the nature of us as people. Most of the population will never be rich, successful.

The thing about success is you define it. You define what success means to you and then you and only you can strive to reach that...

For some sucess may mean being the CEO of a major corporation, some it may mean raising their children to the best of their ability, some it may mean become a supreme court justice, others it may mean opening an art gallery where local artists can display their art...don't let society define what success means, you define it and achieve it.

 

[verte76]

It's easy for me to be friends on the Internet because I don't have to deal with eye contact or body language. I have Aspergers Syndrome and I'm not good with these things.

 

[redhotswami]

Happiness is a big ol fuzzy cuddle aussie!

 

[LemonMelon]

Happiness is a big ol fuzzy cuddle aussie!

For me, right now, success is making it through a day of hard work without going insane and yelling someone's head off or breaking down entirely (thankfully, this happens very rarely, so I'm always a success! perhaps I should set my goals a bit higher... )

The trick to avoiding materialism is, IMO, being thankful every day for what you have and not taking anything for granted. This is tricky, but it shows that you have the right perspective...at least in that one area.

 

[Lancemc]

I get what you're saying. But I can't honestly say I wouldn't be at least a little bit happier if I was rich.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Honestly money means jack unless you're poor and living on your own, and I'm poor and living on my own, so money means everything.

 

[Sicy]

I heard that.

 

[Irvine511]

Honestly money means jack unless you're poor and living on your own, and I'm poor and living on my own, so money means everything.

we all do the best we can.

but we can only be our best with a roof over our heads and our bellies moderately full and at least something of a social life to speak of. and these things cost money.

of course, my plan is to make it big so i can retire, live off the interest, and then spend my days painting, cooking, learning foreign languages, collecting art, finishing my novel, and meditating on the mysteries of the universe.

 

[anitram]

Honestly money means jack unless you're poor and living on your own, and I'm poor and living on my own, so money means everything.

LOL, it's so true.

Money doesn't bring you happiness, but it undeniably brings you opportunities that you would not otherwise have.

 

[Liesje]

Where did family end and materialism begin?

What are your thoughts?

Honestly, money is not much of an issue for me, since my family (since we have lived in this country, which is not long) has never had any. To me, being "rich" would be having a house (mortgaged of course), a vehicle, a dog or two, and manageable debt (student loans I mean, I avoid credit card debt like the plague). I get more out of the time I spend volunteering and taking care of people's animals for very cheap than I do at "work" doing my "career". I don't feel like a failure because I'm not halfway up the corporate ladder and don't have an alphabet behind my name. I'd rather lose money putting an alphabet behind my dog's name. I just budget, budget, budget and take life one paycheck at a time. Right now, we're fine...check back in two weeks!