Money

Recently when I've been talking to my housemates we talk about rich people quite a bit - eg those whose parents pay for them to study photography or culinary skill at university level for example. We talk jokingly about taitais who are free to pursue their interests, be it cooking, yoga or robotics. I realised the thing about having money is that it gives you the freedom to do what you want to do.

I think it's actually common to want to be rich, and this feeling is probably going to get stronger among my compatriots as we get older because some people will be making more money than others. I do know people who say they would like to be taitais. I wonder if I could ever convince them that marrying rich may not be what will make them the happiest. I personally believe that because because I think the person you're with is more important. But do I have any moral authority to tell people money can't buy them happiness, when I have never had to worry about money, when I'm studying overseas on my parents' money, when I'm fortunate to be able to choose a career path I like, and when I know I have the capability to earn a very reasonable amount myself? I don't think I do. My level of financial comfort to date has in fact contributed to my happiness.

But what I can definitely say is I don't need to have money come to me from others (e.g. by marrying rich) to be happy. I think I'm incredibly lucky to be on track for a reasonably well-paying career that's actually what I really am interested in and yet brought up to be thrifty/ not really have strong material wants. In other words, I'll rarely want more than I can afford (in the material sense) because I'll never want that much. I also do want to work myself because I believe I will enjoy it. I hope I never lose this strong sense of grounding. I want to always remember that without spending that much (except on my education), like this, now, I am still a very happy person because I derive happiness from being with the people in my life whom I love/like/learn from/am intrigued by, from what I do - the pursuit of improvement, the striving for excellence, the actions driven by belief (I'm doing good for others), and from many small things I can be thankful for - the laughter I get from running man, the flowers and beautiful colours of plants I see around, my being healthy and able to run freely etc.