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If you want to feel rich, just count the things you have that money can’t buy

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by iyerviji, Nov 19, 2014.

  1. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Many of us associate money to happiness. To a certain extent money may be important, in order to fulfill basic needs and responsibilities towards the well being of self, family, community and loved ones. But beyond a point money cannot replace relationships. It cannot buy happiness. It cannot make you truly rich.As they rightly say ” A truly rich man is the one whose children run into his arms when his arms are empty”.. Just count the things you have that money can’t buy.


    Most of the things we dont understand when we are young, after growing and after getting experience only we understand everything. When our parents tell us in young age we dont feel the importance but when we experience then only we understand but sometimes it is too late. Once my son asked my husband how is that you were earning so less but still you educated us, got my sisters married and you have enough for the retired life. For which my husband told him the difference between you and me is you are more educated than me and you earn better than what I earned but in buying things there is a difference between us. You buy things not even seeing whether the price is ok , whether you are giving high price because you dont ask in different shops. Whereas to buy something I check in different shops and buy things which are for reasonable price, so I was able to save in my younger age , could educate you all and have enough money for my retired life. I dont like to depend on anyone for anything.

    Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don’t collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don’t really mean anything. ~ Norman Lear

    Happiness cant be bought from money. To be happy we have to do good things, spend less and save for the future so that during our retired life we can be happy and peaceful. Also in young age we have to look after our health so that we dont suffer in old age. Especially ladies after delivery dont take care and later in their forties have health problems. Now a days many people after forty are havng various problems of health , they are not able to sit down whereas in olden days ladies took care of their health and they did not have the problems which we in present age have which is also due to the modern technology.


    In my younger days my grandmother used to tell so many stories and sometimes sing also about life. Like she used to say thookam thookam enru ayisai tholaidheda ( meaning dont waste your life in sleeping). She used to say about the people in her native place also but that time it did not interest me but then with hers and God's blessings I got a life partner from her place only who is a gem of a person. Whatever I am today is due to the service I could do in the laste days of my mother , grandmother and my father. I feel blessed I could take care of them in their last days.

    For me richness is my loving family , my loving friends , the love I get from all those who respect and love me . All this cant be bought from money. Though my daughters were not blessed with children I am glad that they could adopt and have got loving daughter who now are like their mother only, noone can believe that they are adopted. What more do I want.

    One of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody and everything … every night before you go to bed.
    So true isn’t it? Life challenges and experiences with difficulties are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you to discover who you are.
    There are times in our life when our heart just opens up and tears roll down in happiness, when we are truly happy which no words can explain…the experience which cannot be expressed…. the tears say it all…. to give an experience and memories which lasts a life…










     
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  2. umasivasankar

    umasivasankar IL Hall of Fame

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    well said vijima......we cannot buy happiness with the money.....
     
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  3. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Great thoughts Viji.Our children don't even have time to look back or listen to and learn.The life we had with restrictive resources was far better than that of children.
    Yesterday's luxuries have become today's necessities.
    We slept on mats in open pyols only with a hand fan ( panai olai visiri).I had an electric fan only when I was 26. I had a mixie at 42, and fridge at 48.
    But today's children are born in A/ C halls. Priority has changed a lot. Why to talk of children? Can we live in a house without fan or fridge?
    The comfort zone has been totally redefined.
    I managed with only 5 sarees when I joined the bank. Now children have min 20 sets.
    In a changing world, our children face many problems, insecurity of job, unstable family life, stress and strain associated with relocation.
    We certainly hope that they will learn from their own experiences as they have none to advise .They are the masters of their lives.
    Our grandmothers, and parents had more or less similar environments and the advice given were beneficial.
    But with our experience, I fear, I may not be able to guide my son/ daughter-in-law properly, leave alone the fact, whether they listen to or not.
    Today's children are self made individuals and our responsibility more or less has come to an end with having educated them.
    Let them learn to be happy.

    Jayasala 42
     
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  4. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Thank you Uma for the first feedback
     
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  5. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Jayakka dear you are right our children's thinking and our thinking are different and true they dont have time . During my school days we also did not have fan , when my father was down with cancer I brought a fan from my friend's place but he wanted me to fan him and not the electric fan. I got married only at the age of 29 yrs. I bbought mixie from the money I got for completing 20 years in office. Yes now a days we cant live without fan. Before marriage me andmy sister used to share the sarees. Those days sarees were bought only for Diwali, now a days we are able to buy whenever we want if we have money and also get as gifts for marriages from close relatives. .I remember when I was in VII std I did not have History book and wrote the whole History book and learnt . When I was in VI std. my class teacher and the students contributed for my school dress and gifted me.

    Now also my husband believes in leading a simple life and buys only whatever is necessary. Due to hip bone fracture I can tsit down and everyday I have mylunch sitting a chair with plate in my hand like havng a buffet. My son is ready to buy anything but not without the consent of my husband. I like luxuries but staying with my husband I have also learnt to be happy with whatever we have and enjoying the simple pleasures of life

    Thank you for the thought provoking as always which made me share my experiences.
     
  6. Scorpio707

    Scorpio707 Platinum IL'ite

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    Vijima....so true what ever you said...glad to know about your own experience and satisfaction in life...liked the way you narrated it here....
     
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  7. parineetha

    parineetha IL Hall of Fame

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    Vijima, the spending capacity of the family has evolved over the generations.
    It’s decided on the family size, overall income, social environment, life style changes so many such factors. May be that’s the reasons it gives the feelers that our generation people like me and many others go a little over board in spending.

    But trust me, we have learnt/learning to respect the money value and spend judiciously. I’m no more what I was in terms of spending power after my wedding.
    Now with family and investment commitments building on, I plan my finances and expenditure. Not anymore the spendthrift Neetu I was before few yrs ago. It’s not just me, every one of us change with times and situations.

    At times I give away to the shopaholic side of me and indulge in some pampering to get the feel good factors. This is attributed to the lifestyle and cultural changes that has swept in. But why not? We get paid well but all blood sucked for every penny that’s given, we toil all over the week, get stressed up like mad. So we think it’s OK to treat ourselves like a princess once in a while.
    Quite acceptable na? :-D
     
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  8. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Scorpio dear glad you liked the post , thanks for your feedback
     
  9. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Nithu dear I agree that the spending capacity has changed. Glad you have learnt to respect the mney value and spend accordingly. We all learn by experience and mistakes . I can understand Neetu I was also a working woman I also used to spend a lot earlier but after marriage had to control my spendings. You are right once in a while you can treat yourselves like a princess, it is acceptable. In our days we were not much educated so we did not get a high post , but now a days the present generation is well educated and get high positions , so they are able to spend according to their wishes. But we have to be economic too in some cases. That is what I feel.
     

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