Revisiting Contentment

Someone once said, "There are two ways to be rich. One is to have all you want. The other is to be contented with what you have."

I was reading this book with the quote above and it kind of zoomed in on my recent "wants" list now that I've started working. I've been dreaming of getting a much better DSLR cos my Nikon D70 is like a dinosaur when it comes to more accurate metering and good white balance. The other on my list is a new macbook cos my powerbook is dying with a spoilt DVD-ROM and an almost dead graphic card giving my monitor bizzare colours, streaked lines and bad resolution.

So does that warrant a change, and the spending of a few thousands? Looks like it but I know I was reminded that it is a "NO". Couple of reasons: The D70 still works fine although I am more dissatisfied with it than a few years ago, and I am not a professional. As for the mac, well, the office has just gotten new laptops for us to use and it works fine. (Although I must say Windows is as yucky as ever and programs crash whenever they like.)

So at the end of the day, I can still live without a new DSLR and a new mac, and that makes them more of a "want" than a "need" now. As for the couple of thousands that I planned to save and buy them, I supposed they can be better used somewhere (or kept).

"Contentment makes a poor man rich; discontentment makes a rich man poor."

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." - 1 Tim 6:6-7

Quotes in italics are taken from the book "Help! I'm growing old" by Chuan Tong-Ik.