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200 words, debt, desires, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, enough, Fear, greed, human behaviour, humanity, joy, life, living within my means, love, needs, sacrifice, survive, wanting
There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.
Have you ever thought about what drives us to have more? Why we need a more expensive, newer car, the latest gadget, a bigger house, more money? Does what we have not work? Does our survival depend on it? Or is it simply a matter of social status? Why is it so pressing that we keep up with the Joneses?
We humans are wired to survive. We need shelter. We need food. We need security from those who might harm us. And once we have those bases covered, we need to belong. We need to be needed and we need to know that we can count on others when we need them.
But when do our needs become frivolous? What marks the event when we’ve gone too far? When we must ‘have it’ just for the sake of ‘having it’? When we decide to live outside of our means and willingly fall into debt? When do we cross that line of pure greed that sacrifices our fellow (wo)man’s ability to survive?
~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
talktodiana 
Great post! I have always tended to be frugal and this is a trait that is hard to break, that is, letting go of the guilt when I do buy something (occasionally) nice for myself.
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(smiling) I have no guilt at all buying nice things for myself every now and then Elizabeth! ❤
Diana xo
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I bought a pair of new shoes at the Core…and then returned them 2 days later. Today. I had only wore them on carpeted floor for a few hrs…but the salesclerk gave me a hard time. My reason was that I decided I really didn’t like them after all as much as I had thought in the store.
I was your most honest customer. I didn’t even bother making up a lie about poor fit. The reason why I think I got a hard time, is that other customers had brought in more seriously worn shoes, demanding a refund.
I will never buy another of pairs unless I really wanted them. I also remember I had 2 new prs. of shoes in closet…..talk about questioning sanity.
Wanting more…wait, question your sanity.
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Wow. Sorry you had such a tough time returning those shoes Jean! I try really hard not to buy anything unless I really love it! ❤
Diana
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about the only thing i always want more of…is: music….because i LOVE it so.
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I think that’s Okay. ❤
Diana xo
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Thank you
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Great question Diana. When is enough, enough?
In “A Christmas Carol,” Jacob Marley shows up as a ghost. His is shackled by money boxes. The greed and avarice that bound him in life continued to do so in his death. Jesus tells us that those things that we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven and those things that we bind on earth will be bound in heaven. I think Jacob Marley in his sadness was caught in Purgatory, or worse, by his greed. Yet his visit helped to facilitate Scrooge’s salvation, and in turn possibly his own.
This Christmas we can learn from Jacob Marley what is truly our treasures. And if they must be looked away for safe keeping, then they are not reassures worthy of our attention.
-Alan
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I like that last line Alan! ❤
Diana xo
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Let me write it more clearly.
This Christmas we can learn from Jacob Marley what is truly our treasures. And if they must be locked away for safe keeping, then they are not worthy of our attention.
-Alan
p.s. loved the quote from Chesterton. I am a fan.
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Not me. I’ve been kind of an anti-materialist all my life (learned it from my parents). I buy things and then wear them out. And pretty much everything I own is functional in some way — no fripperies. I was just never into having. (The only debt I carry is my mortgage. And occasionally a car loan for a few years.)
I’ve read that some folks are never 100% happy with what they buy. They’re always concerned they could have paid less or could have gotten a better version or whatever. Such folks are always looking to trade up to the best and newest.
Other folks (and I certainly fit in this group) find something that more-or-less meets their needs and are fine with it. They don’t place any value on the endless search for better, newer, or cheaper.
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Same here Smitty! Doesn’t surprise me about you. ❤
Diana xo
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I’m so guilty of falling into this trap. And have been trying to work my way out of it.
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Diana, I strive not to be too big a consumer, especially since I’ve gotten older and wiser. For example: I love my older car! 🙂 ❤
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I love my old car too Jennifer! ❤
Diana xo
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Me too … although I am saving up for a Tesla (five year plan!).
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This blurs the question of want and need. Where is the healthy, moral boundary between them. This is a great issue to raise. Especially during these crazed holidays.
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Thanks for chiming in Mark. ❤
Diana xo
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When I was younger in my 20’s, this seemed so important! It is a gift to understand a deeper meaning of life now. I appreciate so much more. 💕💚💕
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Yes, a gift Karen and it is so freeing; like a heavy weight coming off your chest. ❤
Diana xo
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Desire less and practicing gratitude is the key, that always works but one has to make a conscious effort.
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Yes, so very true Ute. ❤
Diana xo
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Good observation from another fan of the fat man.
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Thanks! ❤
Diana xo
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This describes the old me & I honestly do not know why I wanted the bigger house, newer car, etc. The only explanation I can come up with now that I am the opposite is simply that is the way I have been taught. Through friends, family, advertising, etc. It seems I was just going with the flow of what I should do like everyone else. Now that I no longer desire to be like everyone else, my desire for more things has disappeared.
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Yes. I think most of us underestimate how social norms actually dictate what believe and what we do Amy. ❤
Diana xo
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I have enough because I desire less, that is just me
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It’s good when you don’t have to convince yourself that you don’t need more; that you actually naturally feel you have enough already Jo-Anne. ❤
Diana xo
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Thank you for the excellent questions and reminders, Diana.
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(smiling) thanks for stopping by with your encouraging words Russ. ❤
Diana xo
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I agree with Don — it is a very ego driven response to getting ‘more’ without reflecting on what the more is. We mistake material more for spiritual more and end up bereft.
Great post Diana. Thank you!
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Thanks Louise! I think GREED plays a huge role as well, In fact, I think it’s one of the biggest problems we face today, at least in the first world. Maybe greed is attached to ego? ❤
Diana xo
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Reading the Buddhist was helping to me in figuring out this desire for more and more. Our desire is ego driven. I’ve come to believe the ego is like that car that would take me to Montreal when I am trying to get to Vancouver. I wouldn’t keep that car very long. It takes real discipline to master that ego. And mostly we never master it. Because enough is never enough. Just look at the society we live in.
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I think there’s hope Don. If we just keep catching ourselves when we do it… ❤
Diana xo
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All good questions. Love, shelter, and food should be all we need. I think it’s a conspiracy with the television chatter. 😀
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haha maybe so April. ❤
Diana xo
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😀
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