Life Is.

Following a bout of unemployment, Nick and I have started two brand new jobs, which have left us feeling all shiny and new. It’s scary how much self-esteem is tied up with a job title. One minute we were dull bludgers, enduring endless petty but humiliating job-hunting experiences — such as being questioned by aloof social security councillors, or interviewed by forgetful employment agency personnel. Once, following my third interview for the position of office manager in a law firm and in the fourth week of negotiations, out of the blue the agency enquired if I would take the job part-time!

Meanwhile, Nick was getting offers as kitchen hand… Well, it certainly has been character building! Although I panicked a little at the sight of the hefty tax bill, which we were unable to pay off. Nonetheless, we made it through, adjusting and making the most of a bad situation. We reviewed our budget and cut expenses back to the bare minimum. In the end, we even managed to save some money.

Looking back now, it’s hard to imagine that only two months ago we were so tight and insecure about the future. How quickly things change! They say that money ebbs and flows. For us, this has been an important lesson. Remember to be prepared and able to adjust to different circumstances. Not to spend more than you can afford, live simply, but without compromising the quality of your life. For me that equates to not having my own car but hiring one whenever needed, or always having the kitchen well-stocked with fresh and wholesome food even if I cannot afford a night out. But also to meet friends over an aperitivo rather than go to a restaurant.

What is the meaning of prosperity? Everyone has different standards and needs. I believe in living a simple and clean life. By that I mean that I can enjoy the small luxuries in life such as staying in three-star hotels when traveling, or indulging in a mojito at the water’s edge after work. However, I religiously recycle, take old clothes to the Salvation Army, grow my own herbs, don’t own a car and am always careful not to waste water. For me, prosperity begins with being healthy in the body, wealthy in the heart and as wise and ethical in the way I manage the choices I make in life.

I guess it helps if you don’t fully embrace all those consumeristic values we are constantly bombarded with. One must do one’s best to elude the influence of advertising. For me, this equates to knowing myself and understanding one fundamental difference. That is: between what I want and what I need in order to lead a happy and rewarding existence.

So it’s funny, suddenly we both transformed into respectable professionals. We could buy the car we wanted. Yet just the same, sensible principles prevail. I guess we haven’t forgotten what it’s like to have to save up to host a dinner party. And although Nick and I enjoy a certain surplus, we’ve become accustomed to our old ways, so after having revamped the studio and at last purchased a microwave, we put the rest of it away. After all, there’s something extremely gratifying in a long-term goal that we both share. It’s like saving up for the future, building our future together. In the meantime, having cash flow back in our lives enables us to get out and about and to explore the world around us. We use our extra to explore other cultures and discover some of the world’s treasures.

These are the things that make me truly feel blessed and prosperous. The wealth and mysteries of the world that touch me, they fill my life with experience and learning and joy.

I am happy!