Since I stop working permanently several years ago, I have
been telling people that I am taking things easy ... indeed I am living an easy
life. My son said to me while I was driving him to school ... “Daddy, your life
is very easy ... every morning you go look for nice place to enjoy breakfast
and after that you are free to do whatever you like”. I said to my son (like
what I always said to others) ... “YES, I am living an easy life”
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| Is this your idea of an easy life? |
But what exactly is taking things easy and living an easy
life? Millions stashed in the banks? Don’t have to work? Having fun every day? No worries whatsoever at
all?
Look, in my book, taking things easy and living an easy life doesn’t mean that I am
without financial woes, doesn’t mean that I have no worries and though I don’t
have to go to work, it doesn’t mean that I have nothing to do. Like most
people, I have my fair share of all types of problems and worries. The
difference is ... I try to make my life easier for me. But how?
I don’t have millions stashed away somewhere ... I don’t believe that people should stashed up
millions for later years. Yes of course we all plan and save for our later
years but you don’t really need millions to live an easy life. You will need
millions if you want to live a luxury life. You don’t need a lot really ... if you
simply make do with whatever you already have and maybe sometime you even have
to settle for less ... if you can accept that, you will be able to make your
life easier.
Like when the utility company (TNB) decided to raise the electricity tariff, I cancelled cable TV (Astro). It is whether I want to enjoy the air conditioning or I want to watch my favorite sports live ... if I want both, I will have to really worry about the increase on my household expenses ... so, I have to let one go and that made my life easier without having to fork out extra expenses.
People tell me ... “Hey, your life is so easy, you don’t have to work” ... yes, I don’t go to work for an income ... I don’t have meetings, reports and the frustration of traffic jams every morning but that doesn’t mean I have nothing to do. I have to repair the roof, refurbish the furniture, paint the house, re-wire the electrical system, do the gardening, groom the dogs, fix the appliances and I have to build a storeroom from scratch. I have to do all that by myself ... at times it can be quite tiring and exhausting but I am not complaining. You see, my life is easy not because I have nothing to do ... I have plenty to do. I made my life easier because I don't have to pay people to do it.
But what about our children, people asked? Their schooling needs, their education fees ... you want to give “the best” to your kids, right? Oh yes, I am concern about this too because “the best” doesn’t come cheap. But I cannot give my kids “the best”, I don’t have the ability to give them “the best” ... so I gave them “my best” and they have to settle for that ... that is a lot easier for me to do.
What about leaving some wealth for the kids? Many parents intend
to leave much of what they have saved and accumulated for their children so that
their children won’t have to struggle financially when they come out to make it
on their own. Wow, how nice! I am happy for their children ... I can already hear the children
saying ... “saving is the best thing, especially if your parents have done it
for you”.
Tell you what ... I don’t intend to leave anything for my
kids. My logic is ... I will give “my best” (the best I can afford) upfront to
my kids until a time that they should be able to make it on their own ... that
is all they will get. What I have saved and accumulated is for myself and my
wife ... as selfish as it may sound, this is to make my life and my wife’s a
lot easier especially in our later years. Errrr ... maybe I will leave something
for my kids ... that is if there is anything left by the time me and my old
lady kicked the bucket.
Hey what about healthcare? Oh yes, healthcare cost is
extremely high ... the joke is, if you ask the doctor what do your problem is,
the doctor will ask you what can you afford. People worry about their health
... they worry more as they grow older when problems start to surface. Some may
just be common ailments, some may be troublesome diseases and unfortunately
there are some that are terminal. I worry about my health too ... so, what do I
do about it?
When you are sick, you can’t really make things easier ...
now, if you can afford it, you can make it more comfortable while seeking
treatment. Life is never easy for anyone when faced with unfortunate health
issues.
Maybe in certain cases one can choose to face it in a
different manner that in my personal opinion will be an easier way to deal with
the outcome. Let me tell you what I will do ... let me stress that this is strictly my views and
you don’t have to agree with me. If I am terminally ill, I will not look for
a cure (really, I am serious) because looking for a cure will create a huge
financial and mental burden which will make life very difficult for me and also
my family. Instead, I will look for strength to face and accept the tragic
result that cannot be avoided ... I think this will make it a lot easier for me
and for my family.
Now, let me ask you ... what is your idea of an easy life?
Really, looking for an easy life of having millions, work
free, forever healthy, absolutely no worries and no uncertainties whatsoever ... that is like looking for something next to impossible ... but strangely,
some people believe they will find it.
For me, in my life there are no millions stashed away but there is
enough, I don't have to go to work but there are lots of things to do and there will
always be worries and uncertainties. Really, I have never look for a life that
comes on a silver platter ... instead, I look at how I make do with what I
already have, I look for means to lessen the worries and I look for strength to
face and accept the uncertainties ... I believe that will make my life a lot
easier ... that is my idea of an easy life.
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