Need

I have been talking to my good friend Rob, a financial adviser, about money, and how we go about spending it, he drives a A5 wanted to own a coupe in his life, and on impulse went and did it. Now he's thinking of getting something smaller less expensive, but was feeling a little pressure to keep up appearances in his industry, that clients might not see him as successful. But what came to mind, especially in his circumstance is that he's advising people to spend wisely, not to spend on huge luxury items, and so the thinking was that by not bowing to this pressure you would show that you take your own advise.
Now you're wondering, cool, good for you but what the fuck are you on about. Well last year I felt the financial pinch in a big way, and I had to make some really hard decisions, as I'm sure many have had to do in the last 3/4 years under the financial climate, but I found one thing, one solitary sentence that pulled me through. DO I REALLY NEED THIS? before any currency left my wallet, I asked myself that question several times, thats cause I'm a pig headed ass, and if the answer came up yes, then fine, but even the slightest hesitation, meant that i did not need it, it was not a necessity and thus left that item, purchase whatever just there. We have become obsessed with the "must have" syndrome, computer are out of date in three months, just as you got that big ass flat screen they spring 3D on you, soon the mattress you sleep on isn't soft enough, then it's not supportive enough, and to top it all your car will determine just how attractive you are, and so on and so forth, pretty soon you are upgrading your home to look like a palace cause your neighbors have. Never once going ok did I really need this, I mean really need this! Chances are you didn't, so perhaps the answer is in just how we fill our lives, perhaps we have lost focus on the important part of our lives, and that is, that it's fleeting, from the first breath, we begin dying, and chasing the propagated ideal, may fulfill a hole you think is important, but the true cost to you will be time, time you don't have to waste, because like all of us one day you will die, and take nothing with you.
I woke this morning, the mist had rolled in, and I'm content, I have spent the last three days giving my time freely to some one that I believe needs my help to become a better tattooer, and I feel good about it, I'm sure that the time I spent will be evident in what she does from here on. And I'm happy, because the cost is well spent, and my soul really needs it.