Monday, January 03, 2011

Same change


We all want change. But we don’t want to change. Is there a difference between the two?

When I was young, I wanted to grow up as quickly as possible. By the time I grew to an impressionable age, I wanted my childhood days back and yet be of this impressionable age. I wanted a new life but the same self. So, I was looking at more independence, more money, and more luxuries but in the same free, easy going, care a damn for anyone attitude. Oh, I almost forgot; I certainly needed the same set of friends! So, I wanted change but did not want to change. It’s the same change, every time.

To make things interesting (read confusing), by the time I started to understand the difference between work and job, flew in another term which people called career. Till that point in time, I was very sure it meant something in which Dad took lunch to office. Some enlightened souls did try to highlight the core. I did get their point, somehow. Work was what was told to me and job was what offered to me. Career was what I chose. I chose to work less and earn more. So, I wanted change but did not want to change. It’s the same change, every time.

The day I got my first “job” offer, I was euphoric. From that day, I wanted to be regarded differently. I was not a kid. I was not a student and I was unemployed no more. I was earning my own bread. The day I got my first salary, I was elated to no extent. But, by the end of the first week of receiving that salary, I was jolted by reality. I had blown away all my hard(ly) worked, well earned monies in seven days flat!! I was back to my student, unemployed days. I was requesting new set of people for money. My old loans stood strong and debtors sitting tight expecting their return as I was unemployed no more! How cruel can the world be? This was my first salary. I had my own desires to fulfill. Not much had changed. Or had it? Well, I wanted change but did not want to change. It’s the same change, every time.

When I got married, hmmm….. Well, let’s pick another topic. Not to miss, I wanted change, but I did not want to change. It’s the same change, every time.

With time, one gains knowledge. Use of this knowledge gives wisdom. With wisdom you expect basic common sense to blossom and prevail over the next flight of time. In all this time, what I learnt was the more you earn, the more you spend. This is because, the more you earn, the more you want. You want more because you have more to spend. When you spend more, you are left with less. When you are left with less, you want to earn more. When you earn more, you spend more. It’s the same change, every time.

How big a car does one person need to commute from point A to point B? Do you take more space to sit in a bigger car? Can you see the color of your own car sitting inside? Does it really matter if the car is read, blue or maroon? I really don’t know. But then, it does matter, I guess. People pay extra to get their preferred color. Some people pay heaven’s price to have a special number plate. Will I someday, be able to afford a number plate as expensive as the whole vehicle? And even if I did, will I actually pay for it? May be, not. May be, that’s why I may never be able to afford the number plate. I cannot work more to earn more to not see what I have paid for.

It’s the same change, every time.
cheers
K

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