Yesterday somebody lamented in the office that he is really poor. Markets are bad, bonuses are low and prices are not coming down.
An interesting conversation ensued:
Me: You sure you are poor??
Colleague: Of course!!
Me: If I were to give you half a million dollars, would you give me your arm?
Colleague: No lah!
Me: Okok, what about a million dollars for your eyes? Good deal right?
Colleague: 2 millions I also won’t give!
Me: You are very rich what! Give you 2 million also don’t want!!
LAUGHS
Recently I just had my medical check up and I was given a clean bill of health. It made me thankful that I do not have to worry about my well being and potential hefty medical bills. If you have read about Chew Chor Meng, I am sure he is willing to give up all his fortune in exchange for good health.
Counting my blessings
With the financial crisis unfolding with no end in sight, Singapore is bracing for -5% growth. Seriously, life for me has not changed much other than feeling poorer. I still have my regular gym exercise and weekly restaurant indulgence. In fact, I just went for my spa today and will be signing up for a new package when it expires in March.
Although I do not exactly love my job and bosses, I still command a decent income and stable job which will allow me to afford my $800 monthly Masters tuition fees comfortably.
My parents are still alive and in good health.
My car is still in good shape and the major cost incurred so far is changing the 3 year old battery. It still sprints like a jaguar every time I floor the accelerator.
I do not have a legal suit to bother me.
My bills are all paid on time and I am not in debt.
I have no relationship problems to bother me and can sleep like a log daily.
I have clean water conveniently from the tap.
I bath with heated water and sleep in air con room.
Is life really that bad?
Yes, everyone is expecting the recession to be really bad, but do stop feeling down and complain about life. Have life really changed for you? Or are you just bothered by the numbers in your bank and CDP account?
No point blaming yourself for incurring losses. We know the market will recover in time to come. Rather, take some time off and look at things that you have forgotten during your pursuit of wealth.
Money really is just numbers in one’s account. I wouldn’t spend much more if STI is 4,000 now or 1000 tomorrow.
The only noticeable difference is between “feeling rich” and “feeling poor”.
But remember, life is not merely about numbers. Try to look beyond that and magnify your optimism.
So do not feel that it is the end of the world. Life can still be great if you choose it to be!
An interesting conversation ensued:
Me: You sure you are poor??
Colleague: Of course!!
Me: If I were to give you half a million dollars, would you give me your arm?
Colleague: No lah!
Me: Okok, what about a million dollars for your eyes? Good deal right?
Colleague: 2 millions I also won’t give!
Me: You are very rich what! Give you 2 million also don’t want!!
LAUGHS
Recently I just had my medical check up and I was given a clean bill of health. It made me thankful that I do not have to worry about my well being and potential hefty medical bills. If you have read about Chew Chor Meng, I am sure he is willing to give up all his fortune in exchange for good health.
Counting my blessings
With the financial crisis unfolding with no end in sight, Singapore is bracing for -5% growth. Seriously, life for me has not changed much other than feeling poorer. I still have my regular gym exercise and weekly restaurant indulgence. In fact, I just went for my spa today and will be signing up for a new package when it expires in March.
Although I do not exactly love my job and bosses, I still command a decent income and stable job which will allow me to afford my $800 monthly Masters tuition fees comfortably.
My parents are still alive and in good health.
My car is still in good shape and the major cost incurred so far is changing the 3 year old battery. It still sprints like a jaguar every time I floor the accelerator.
I do not have a legal suit to bother me.
My bills are all paid on time and I am not in debt.
I have no relationship problems to bother me and can sleep like a log daily.
I have clean water conveniently from the tap.
I bath with heated water and sleep in air con room.
Is life really that bad?
Yes, everyone is expecting the recession to be really bad, but do stop feeling down and complain about life. Have life really changed for you? Or are you just bothered by the numbers in your bank and CDP account?
No point blaming yourself for incurring losses. We know the market will recover in time to come. Rather, take some time off and look at things that you have forgotten during your pursuit of wealth.
Money really is just numbers in one’s account. I wouldn’t spend much more if STI is 4,000 now or 1000 tomorrow.
The only noticeable difference is between “feeling rich” and “feeling poor”.
But remember, life is not merely about numbers. Try to look beyond that and magnify your optimism.
So do not feel that it is the end of the world. Life can still be great if you choose it to be!
Wishing my readers a happy Chinese new year!
9 comments:
Hi, SBC,
I totally agree with you.
Health is wealth. Good health is most important. Otherwise, what's is the use of having so much money but no life to spend it!? lol
As long as we are healthy, we are already wealthy. There are many many more others in the world who are poorer than us.
Happy lunar new year to you!
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!
Dear SBC
Wishing you and your readers a Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year of the Ox filled with HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND WEALTH!
Be well and prosper.
i agree with you, esp bout the clean water and basic amenities that citizens enjoy, if only more ppl could think like you, we would all realise how wealthy we are and that the world isn't all that bad to us.
Hi Sgbc
One can be rich and feel poor...
One can be poor and feel rich...
If our basic needs are met, we should feel satisfied and happy.
Evidently, a healthy body is most important but a healthy mind is most desired.
Wishing you and your readers a blessed Chinese New Year!
I've been to countries such as Cambodia and Myanmar and seen the level of abject poverty there. So I would say in terms of basic necessities, we are way better than those countries who struggle to find food and water everyday.
Yet, the people you see in such countries are happy and smiling and content with their lives because expectations are low ! In Singapore, everyone expects too much and in the end they end up feeling very unsatisifed. Strange but true.
Cheers,
Musicwhiz
Ultimately mindset is the most important parameter. We can choose to be myopic and compare ourselves to the better, richer and prettier; or we can stay contented by knowing that people can be even happier with lesser, simpler and healthier.
Hey SBC,
Same sentiments as you. Sometimes to be contented is the best :)
By the way, I have taken your rich and poor joke with my friends through my blog too. Sorry. I know, I should have asked before I take it but it is really a valuable joke that I could not resist to wait for your approval. I'm happy to take it down if you are unhappy.
My email: evenlyn@gmail.com
Thats the article: http://evesam.blogspot.com/2009/04/blog-post_17.html
By the way, really thank you for sharing your wisdom. we enjoy it a lot.
Hi Shen Yi, no probs, glad you enjoyed it! I shall try to blog using chinese soon!!
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