Enough Is Enough
It does not take long for one to notice that the living standard in Sichuan is lower than in San Jose. Old cars on streets, inexpensive food, teenagers in plain no-brand-name clothing/apparel, kids without an iPad or Nintendo, and my favorite: squat-style toilets with a manual flush (ie a tap and a broomstick!) are just a few ways to contrast the living standard between the two cities. This big gap makes our lifestyle outright extravagant and wasteful in comparison. (Just think how quickly a new gadget can become obsolete here) Furthermore, our culture encourages the pursuit of a higher living standard, to the extent that it is normal to endure long stressful hours and even sacrifice health to earn that status-appropriate house or well-deserved exotic vacation. But have we ever asked ourselves why we need to pursue a higher living standard when we are already living a more abundant and affluent life than most? Why do we not enjoy what we have and instead desire what we do not have? Applying the law of diminishing returns, at some point, our extra income is not yielding as much return or significance. If life is not simply about accumulating wealth, can we challenge ourselves to redistribute some disposable income to those who are less fortunate instead of self-re-investing? May we all have wisdom to discern what is “enough”, so we can best utilize the resources God gives us.
Edmund
jnX US team member
May 12, 2012
