Please Sir Can I Have Some More?

Just about everyone I know wants some more. I find it hard to think of someone mortal who doesn't want more. In fact, on reflection I do have one very good friend who does not want some more but then again he is on an exceptional income in an occupation in which he is guaranteed to always be in high demand and he easily manages to live both a happy and healthy life within his means. Perhaps also there are some nuns, monks etc may not want some more. Such cloistered people usually manage to live very good but simple lives.

In fact a documentary series aired here recently left me longing to go live in a nunnery where they had an excellent quality of life eating and growing organic vegies and produce and they lived in beautiful apartments made entirely from wood, stone and glass. If I had no grandchildren you may have not been able to see me for the dust!

During my life I have had intermittent bouts of both poverty and affluence and have mixed with a wide variety of folks from an extremely broad social spectrum. I've lived overseas and have been exposed to many cultures.

I've had many affluent friends and indeed when I too was affluent I can recall having a monthly income in the region of fifteen grand but still managing to feel tightly squeezed. I would be faced with fifteen grand of income and around seventeen grand of outgoings.

I have a good friend whose husband is one of those high flying corporate sorts whose salaries are currently under public scrutiny who has the most affluent life I know of who complains about a shortfall of funds or who says "I cannot afford to pay you that much money for your FengShui services" etc etc whilst she pays the architect around ten times my fees for similar advice.

I learned a few decades ago that despite someone's income level that nearly all of them complain of poverty and not being able to afford something they desire. I learned also that living beyond means seems to be an integral part of the human condition. Up until about 15 years ago my outgoings were just slightly higher than my incomings - and this was regardless of my income level. I therefore concluded that people like to be in debt and that, despite their income they will aspire to living beyond their means and be therefore placed into perpetual debt.

I'm sure that by now most of you have all named this propensity as greed and I would equally imagine that most of you do not consider yourselves to be greedy.

A few years back I think I conquered this conundrum. For a period of around two and a half years I had more money than I wanted to spend. I had sufficient money to eat well, live well and to maintain my home. My financial reserves combined with my income gave me a surplus.

It was an interesting time that unfortunately ran out for me. During this time I managed to shed both shopping urges and whatever it is that drives people to aspire beyond their financial means. It was a time during which I prioritized what was important and lost any desire for 'superfluous' stuff. To this day I still have what is considered to be a very low carbon footprint.

How one uses resources is at the core of this conundrum. How much 'superfluous stuff' is there in your life?

Keep posted.