You turned us on to a video of a 70 year old guy called Slomo who skates around Sand Diego. Why did this video strike a chord with you? He talks a lot about material gains making him feel empty, feeling institutionalised…
When I was in the pearl business I had lots of disposable income to waste on toys, big TVs, and parties every weekend. I thought I was happy then, but when all of the money was gone after the pearl businesses went downhill, the people that I thought were my friends all disappeared.
This is when I moved to the end of the road to live in a small house that I rented from an old grandma. In this small house I realized that material possessions did not make me truly happy. Those days of watching sunsets, eating passion fruit right off the plant, and the conversations with my adopted “grandma” made it clear to me that the simple life was what I always wanted. This is what the video of Slomo skating around meant to me. He was 100% happy skating around like that, and to me he seems more happy and content than if you gave him a Ferrari for free. Some people think that money can buy happiness. I feel that how you spend your money is important. Some people will buy an expensive TV and think it makes them happy. But it’s a fake happiness. If those same people could see how spending that money on something like a trip to another country vs. a big TV that sits on your wall, they could be rich with experiences and memories.
“ Those days of watching sunsets, eating passion fruit right off the plant, and the conversations with my adopted “grandma” made it clear to me that the simple life was what I always wanted ”
