MONEY, MONEY, MONEY AND MORE MONEY

Some say "Money is not everything..." I say..."Everything IS Money", in the real sense, everythnig needs money.

We, all of us living in this century cannot ignore or pretend that money is NOT an issue. We can no longer live in our own fantasy world trying to lie to ourselves that LOVE will conquere all. No, no, no my dear friends, LOVE is nothing without money. On the contrary LOVE will flourish when there is MONEY - true? In fact it is very, very true. Look around us and judge for yourself and observe all the things that are happening around us. Then you can tell me confidently whether money does make a difference in almost everything in lives.

MONEY is a sensitive issue and not many people like to talk about it, except me. I am a realistix person, I believe very much that MONEY is what makes the world goes round. NOT in the actual sense of its context, but in the realistic cent of our material world.

I am very badly affected by the word - MONEY. I could not say that I do not have enough and at the same time I could not say that I am contented with what I had. There is a saying, enough is never enough...and yes, I do not have enough of it -MONEY.

Then there are people who ask me, "How much is enough?" I think and I say, not enough...I want more. And more. Because there are so many things that I wanted and I could not afford. Things that others had, but I don't. Places that others went, but I have'nt. WHY?

WHY? Because of MONEY that's why! Idiot ! Oh, I'm so sorry, I usually get carried away when it comes to money. You see, I live a simple life when I was young, I live by my own little "motto" which I hold dearly even until today.

My motto: "I rather die rich than to live poor..."

Of course some of you may not agree with me, BUT that's ok, its fine with me, because it's MINE motto or credos, whichever you call it. I choose to live by my motto not because I am greedy but because I have this "FEAR" of not having enough MONEY. The fear of living poor, the fear of many things that money can do and I could not have the money to do them. The fact that I said I am not greedy for money is being proven by my generous donations I contributed through the Lions Club throughout the many years of my life. I love to do charitable works, I love to help, to serve ("TO SERVE", is the Lion's Club motto), to be useful to the society.

Money, money, money, is in fact nothing but "papers"- papers that is recognised by certain financial instituitions. But it is these papers that determine WHERE you stand in this society. YES, it is this very "papers" that tell everyone who you are, what you are made of, where do you come from, how do you live, why are you here, which places do you go for dinners, what car/s do you drive, what watches do you wear, where do you go for holidays (if any), and the list goes on....

You see, we are all being "judged" by our peers and our society everyday. We cannot avoid that. And if you want to be judged positively, you need to have "papers." Let us not kid ourselves and keep telling ourselves that "I am happy with what I have..." the fact is "how" happy is "your" happiness. Hey! get real...snap out of it....you ARE NOT happy, you are only lying to yourself, day after day, year after year, and by the time you closed your eyes - you are still lying...and yes, lying 6 feet under.

Now, tell me... WERE you really happy?

Many important decisions in this world are made by basing on nothing but - MONEY. Why is the United States so interested in the middle East?, What are the "things" the top executives of Enron and Worldcom are after? why are there so many countries picking-up on the reality show "Idol", why are there so many people joining reality shows? why do people join politics, why do people ask "the custom officers to close one eye", why do people allow themselve to be ran over by a train? why do people go for Ah Long (knowing the danger it entails), why are there so many robberies? why do you think Siti Norhaliza choose to marry (or soon to be married) to a divorced businessman? Why? Why? Why?

Keep asking and keep knocking your head...the answer is clear.

All crucial decisions are made based on the "need" or the "amount" of "papers"

Would Siti marry an ordinary man like me or any kampong man....NO WAY! Get real, she knows what she wants and nobody can stop her - not even her closest friends or relatives. Some sources have even said that her parents are apparently very upset by her decision to be married to a divorced man. Imagine our goody goody "girl next door" is being labelled as a "home wreaker", "husband snatcher". Every single person will conciously think for himself or herself; what they want when they made a life - decision.

Frankly, without any reservation, I believe that my sister would not had married my brother-in-law if he have nothing but just a life or love (to offer).

My good friend Andrew once told me..." If your father is poor, you are fated, but if your father-in-law is also poor - YOU are stupid ! Make sense to you...? (knock, knock, - knock your head now...hello...anybody in there????)

What was he actually saying? Choice. Making a choice, just like Siti -making a choice, the right choice.

And he continues to tell me that he is both fated and stupid........ well, what can I say.

In the final analysis, this paper that I talk about is indeed the very element that actually makes the world goes round. It is this very paper that makes you either happy or sad, it is this very paper that determines your morning kisses or your morning blues, it is this very paper that tells others who you are (and not who you are pretending to be), it is this very paper that creates the much needed respect for you and your family, it is this very paper that determines how many people will attend your funeral, it is this very paper that either "make you" or "break you" and it is this very paper we called MONEY.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY....

Till then.....love those papers darling, Fariz