Warning: This posting includes some preaching!
It’s the holiday season, a time for celebrations, decorations and sharing good times. It is also the time for BUYING! That new Lexus you’ve always wanted is just a seventy-two month contract away. With just one click of a button, Amazon will deliver unbridled joy with delivery-free shipping. Duluth Trading Company can assure your “boys” will be snug and comfortable in their underwear.
I say to hell with the quote – “Moderation in everything, every thing in moderation.” Let’s stick with – “He who dies with the most toys wins.”
We remember that President George Bush told us one of the ways to counter the effects of the 911 attack was to go shopping. And it seems we took him up on that idea. We have taken that idea up in spades. Especially now that it’s soon to be Christmas.
We now have Black Friday,, Spend,Spend, Spend Saturday,,Shop till you drop Sunday,,More shit to buy Monday,,Trunk full of new junk Tuesday,,Wish I had more time to shop Wednesday and Thank God the stores stay open late Thursday.
Gandhi once said “The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.” I wonder how he would look at 2019 America?
In 2008, Alex Rodriguez signed a ten year contract with the New York Yankees for $275 million dollars. If you need that written out, it’s $275,000,000.00. That works out to only $75,342.47 per day. I can see why he needed to make a commercial that sells Planters peanuts. It’s hard to get buy on $75,000. a day.
We love to hate Jeff Bezos and his $110 billion net worth, yet we buy mega-millions lottery tickets and dream of what we’ll buy when we win the $500 million lottery.
Confession time! I’m guilty too. I may dream of living in a Thoreau style one room cabin in the woods, growing my green beans and squash; but I wouldn’t mind diving there in a new red Porsche Boxster. I also admit to owning more shirts than any five men could wear out in ten years. The question is why?
I’m reminded of a client I once saw in my counseling practice. He owned (as I recall) a 1956 Corvette and a 1965 Corvette. He lived in a beautiful home with his wife and children. He and his brother owned six successful sporting goods stores in two states. I asked him one day, when was it going to be enough. Nearly twenty years later, I still remember his answer – “I don’t know, but not yet.”
So now I end this tirade. What are we chasing? When will it be enough? I’ve lived far more years than I have in front of me. (I’m doubting I’ll live to be 142 years old). If I imagine lying on my death bed, I doubt that I will be saying – “I wish I had bought another shirt.” I hope I’m not saying – “It would have been better to earn more money than to enjoy my family, the beauty of nature and the joy of friendships.”
When I’m hiking in the desert and see a Red Tailed hawk fly, it brings a joy I can hardly imagine. When I talk to my grandson or granddaughter, it gives me grater hope for the future than any number in a bank account. When I count my blessings, they are about people I love, nature that brings me wonder and friends that make me smile and laugh.
“To have enough is perfection.” Marty Rubin
Go Well, David
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