Money vs Life

Since we are all going to die one day, then what is the meaning of life?

Meaningless... some may say. I hope that this article will change your perception to the meaning of life. I chanced upon an amazing video which took away my reflective mind. I thought it is very meaningful and I would like to share this with everyone but it is duped in Mandarin so I had to translate it to English. This is definitely not a one size fits all formula... but well, sharing is always caring, so here it goes!

When we look upon this big universe and ask ourselves this question: "What is the actual meaning of life?" Is it your career? Is it love? Or is it your money? We need to understand that in this realm of life, we are just a periodic swift wanderer who embarked on this motherland. A wanderer who wants the best of himself in this life while searching for happiness but at the same time realizing that the best is yet so far from the actual reality and always in a pursuit.

When you get out into the streets and noticed more wanderers like yourself who are briskly walking through the streets, shoulder to shoulder, all going through a senseless routine, you would have also realized that everything that is happening around us is far from beyond and against our initial search for happiness. We are drifting further and further from happiness and gravitating towards the invisible pain of life stresses. This formless stress leaves no room for one who wish to grasp a breathe of air and stop to ponder for a moment. In all honestly, these stresses are all created by our material needs.

Money was invented by humans thousands of years ago with an objective to formulate trade exchange which drives civilization. Through technological advances, this invention created a revolving world where huge changes took place and became an essential tool that is so dearly in life. The end creation... a senseless routine where one pursue money in order to live. To live for money is such a pity.

Civilization was initially created as an avenue for agriculture growth which progressively deviated into production and the trade of surplus produce. It was not created for the benefit of self interest but for one's survival. However, being able to live comfortably is not a guaranteed in this modern world and absolutely impossible if you don't work hard for it. Meanwhile, the only thing that is guaranteed in this world is death. This is a 100% certainty from the time when we were born. No one has a way around it, it is the course of life. Nonetheless, there are many people in this world who will forgo time, effort and health in exchange for life equivalence.

In a stroke of a hundred years, from schooling, work, marriage and family building, we leave the world with a smile and reflection of our achievement in life. Yes, striving for success is a way of life but isn't adequacy a way of life too? A lot of people live their life aimlessly and yet this doesn't represent their inability to live. A minority of people live in riches and wealth but it also doesn't guarantee their happiness. In the world of stone age men, strength represents happiness. In the world of treacherous battlefields, survival is a represents happiness. The definition of happiness is represented differently from the era in which we lived and how the society perceives and shapes happiness. Real happiness comes from within and is none judgmental and hardly influence by your surrounding. Being able to do the things that you want to do, having the freedom to live is rights of humanity. Everyone wants to do their best but the imbalance comparisons in life results in our forgetfulness to the actual meaning of living. We are always in pursuit of things that we have yet to achieve but neglecting the moment of being present.

Regardless of your beliefs, in a thousand years later, all that exist in your human form will be erased and you will be forgotten. It does not matter if you are now a successful person or a one who fails to make ends meet, we will fail to be in existence and we will not be around. It is as if we had never live and existed.

Our presence in this realm of universe is not even worth a mention nor does it bear any effect on others. It is only when we are near death, that we will finally realize that all material things in life will tumble in the face of spiritual wellness. Money at the bed death is no longer important at all, the only things that you can take away: your beliefs and spiritual wellness.

Take that needed break. Nothing is more important than yourself.

If you have a chance to read this post, I wish for your spiritual wellness and hope that you can take a moment to ask yourself if this is the life you want to live in this present moment.

About The Contributor

Ben is not financially trained. He is not a certified financial planner and he does not sell any insurance or investment plans. He is not financially motivated by any entities to produce this blog. He just want his friends to know more about money management and not have anyone fall between the social cracks. Nope, he is not a millionaire though he aims to be financially free before 50 years old.