Money Matters: Status or Tool?

“Never abuse something you prayed for as a kid.” I read this quote somewhere, and it sparked the idea for this blog. The first thought that came to mind was money—something with which our relationship becomes increasingly complicated as we grow up.

Money always bothered me growing up. I never really understood how much money would be enough, but I knew I wanted enough to not worry about it. That seems quite achievable, right? Today, this seems like the most difficult thing to achieve, and I think many of you would agree with me.

Everyone thinks the amount of money they have is insufficient, no matter how rich they are. What we don’t realize is how far we have come, and this applies to anyone genuinely working hard in life, whether in small or big ways. When I was a kid, eating out was a big luxury. Now, it seems like a very doable task without feeling a pinch in the pocket. Buying clothes used to be reserved for birthdays, Diwali, or Eid, but now a random Sunday stroll to the mall often ends with new clothes. Owning a BB cream was once considered a costly makeup routine, but now if the lipstick shade doesn’t match the outfit, it’s a no to that lipstick.

The small progress we have made in our lifestyle often goes unnoticed as we progress in life. While the cost of living has increased since we were kids, and many of us (read engineers), have had to move to more expensive cities, the lifestyle we are living is quite admirable. We should give credit to ourselves and our parents for being able to upscale the lifestyle of a whole new generation. Still, our relationship with money is quite complicated. We often don’t know what to do when we have it, and we don’t know what we will do when we don’t have it. The mental calculations that go on with every expensive purchase are funny, to say the least.

When we have the luxury to make money work for us in such a wholesome way, there should be no reason to abuse it with unnecessary expenditures. How one chooses to spend money is a personal trait. If you like to have a big house or a luxury car for your road trips, that’s your call, and I’m not here to judge. However, sometimes we seem to lack an understanding of money. Having money to buy a cold drink and a burger is cool, but using it to buy avocado and coconut water is much more appreciable. I see people flexing their desire to buy hundreds of clothes, but the real flex is investing in a gym membership so that you have a healthy body to flaunt even a ₹200 t-shirt. Skincare over makeup makes sense any day. Hair care over hair styling is a yes.

Money is a tool—a tool that works for us, giving us a sense of happiness and luxury. It should continue to be just that. I just want to have enough to treat my friends and family whenever I want or to buy my favorite dress for a special date.
I never wanted to trade my peace for money.
I never wanted to be all about the money I earn.
Sadly, though, as I look around, the world has tricked me into believing that money has more significance than just helping me live a good life. It has become more of a status symbol and less of a tool. It’s almost like people who have money think they are better than others, and those who don’t have it respect only those who do. But in the end I often wonder what the heart will remember on the death bed?
Will it remember how much someone spent on a wedding you attended or how respectfully they treated you?
Will it remember someone who donated a little money and made a campaign out of it, or will it remember the one who visited when you lost a parent?
Will it remember the branded bag your boyfriend gifted, or will it remember the coffee date where you spoke your heart out to him?
Will it remember the house over which two brothers fought or a picnic the same two brothers had when they were kid?

Funny thing about life is, the loudest laughs you had was never about money, although it has a strong role in making sure you are secure enough to enjoy the laugh.
As I write this, I am still not sure if I have a comfortable relationship with money or not. All I can say is I would never mind having more, but if the turbulence in my heart on a random afternoon is not about money, it’s safe to say I have enough. The money we all prayed for as kids should be utilized as a tool to give us happiness and help us live the kind of life we once dreamt of, but not to be abused or to treat people differently based on how much money they make.