ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Thinking as to what I want from my life, many thoughts plague my mind of which an essential question is what is money’s value in life? What do I seek from money...?

Is it a medium for me to live a satisfactory life where only physical needs are fulfilled through money examples being bread, clothing and shelter, or is it a medium which satisfies my emotional requirements like happiness, respect, love and other things.

Since the first definition is quite conclusive and needs no further explanation, I would like to elaborate more on the second chain of philosophy with the help of an example. Let us say, today Mr. Beta (software guys could understand more of the name) has certain amount of money through which he can afford a CRT colour TV, three to four sets of unbranded clothes semi-annually and a monthly trip to a moderate restaurant but still isn’t satisfied and feels emptiness within, which he assumes can be fulfilled through earning more money. And so, he works hard, lives in mental and physical stress pushing himself to his extreme in order to land himself a promotion and needless to say a pay hike. And so he does. Some time has passed, and our dear friend Beta has accomplished this feat. Now he has enough to afford a forty inch LCD TV, four to five sets of branded clothes the likes of Louis Philippe, Armani and Polo (NOT advertising these brands, just wanted to make the scenario more realistic) quarterly and a weekly trip to a five star restaurant...but, but, but...the void still exists. Of which! He was so certain could have been filled with more money just did not happen. Then what must he do? He must earn more because obviously it is money which shall fill the void. So this iterative process continues wherein he works himself exhaustively to earn more and even more. Then one fine day he realises, that he has enough to buy the most expensive of apartments, the costliest of electronics and cars, capacity to wear a brand new garment everyday and eat out at any place in the whole damn world. (Usually, in doing so much one becomes old...so let us assume our hero has accomplished all of this by his mid-thirties and is filthy rich to the extent that he can be called Mr. Alpha now, with much time to spare.) 

But has that void been filled? Still confused he forces himself into believing that yes, he is satisfied with his life and existence, but deep down within he misses something dearly. It is only then that he begins to realise maybe money cannot satisfy his every need, maybe it cannot buy happiness or the thirst that he has.

Then what can? (Because he desperately wants to fill the void)...In the whole process did he ever consider what the void actually was and the ingredient that could fill it permanently? Was it his emotional needs that money could not satisfy, or was it something else...?

If it were money being perceived as a notion that could satisfy him emotionally, I believe it has to be a grave mistake as there is no limit to how much one can earn and spend or rather no limit to the thirst that one can develop for satisfying his needs like respect and joy through money.

Then what must one do? I think that there exists a “LINE” (which must be defined clearly by each individual) separating the important from the irrelevant, which explains how comfortable you want your life to be and that what you seek can be fulfilled within its limits, else the thirst can never be quenched.

If you figure out where your LINE of existence is, more or less you have figured out your life and what you dearly desire and seek.

But it is the hardest of tasks as you will be influenced and corrupted by the lifestyles of your friends and neighbours, how the society thinks of you and numerous other second rated things we usually give more importance than they deserve. To conclude, a message: “figure out what you really love in life and the important stuff that matters because that is enough to live a lifetime since it is only one lifetime which is this one that you have got. LIVE IT COMPLETELY”