I received many comments on my writings … commenting about my simple lifestyle. There were questions asking me how I live a simple life and some said that they wish they could do the same. But there is this one lady from Singapore who sent me an email asking me how much money do I have … really, she asked quite specifically … one million? Two? Or three?
She seems to think
that I must have a big fat account in the bank and she went on to say that if I
have the money, why I am “mistreating” myself. I should be "living like a
millionaire” … yes, those quoted are her exact words.
Well, I don’t
know where she got the idea from but let me say this.
First … YES, I
have money … I have savings and I have investments … I don’t deny that. How
much money do I have? A million? Two? Three? I won't tell you but I have always said that I have enough.
Mistreating
myself??? Hey, excuse me! I am not living like a pauper or living a minimalist
life and I am definitely not living like Tarzan in the jungle. Actually, with
the money I have … my family and I are living quite comfortably with all the
necessities of a modern average family. My idea of living an easy and simple life is … living
within my means. I do what I like and like what I do because I only like and do
things that I can afford.
Live like a
millionaire??? Let me ask … how does one live like a millionaire? I guess a
millionaire must live in a big luxury house, drives high end expensive cars, splash
on exotic holidays, owns designer’s bags and watches ... right?
So, can I live
like millionaire? Yes I can … I can buy a bigger house, get an expensive luxury
car, go on exotic holidays, wears designer’s accessories and send my kids
overseas to study … yes, I can do all that but I chose not to … why?
Simply because I
chose time over money. Now, strange as it may sound … I really do enjoy having more
time than having more money.
If I want to
live like a millionaire … I would probably have to continue working until I am
60 years old … maybe even longer. If I did not stop working ten years ago … I
would have a lot more money now. I could have made another half a
million dollar or a bit more. Would my life be better with half a million more?
I don’t know and I will never be able to know … I cannot turn back the clock
and have another go at it.
But what I know
now is … that I am living my life quite comfortably, healthily, happily, easily
… enjoying the time I have and doing what I like. I said it before and I will say it
again … I am not amazed by how much people make … I am amazed by how little I
need.
But then again people
don’t have to live like me. In fact, many don't ... they live better than me. We all have our own
ideas of how we want to live. There is nothing
wrong living like a millionaire if you have the money. Many people worked very
hard to become millionaires and it is entirely up to them how to spend their
hard-earned money on whatever they think they deserved. It is their way to tell
and show people that they have achieved success. It is their way of rewarding
themselves for what they have achieved. They can do what they like with their
money and like what they do with their money. I think we can all agree to this.
Yes, go ahead …
be a millionaire and live like one. Work harder and if you still want more …
work longer. But the thing is … in the process, don’t get caught in
never-ending chase. One must know where to draw the line.
Don’t lose track of time …
sometimes people are too engrossed in the search for success that they let time
and things pass, knowingly and unknowingly. Yes, it is always like this … many
people only find out when it is too late to look for things they have missed.
Don’t get addicted
and develop the insatiable greed for more and more. Don’t push contentment too far
away … one must know when to stop and start to live and enjoy life with what
you already have.
And last but not
least … don’t complain life is too fucking short. Life is not
short … maybe you just took too fucking long to start enjoying it.
