Real Happiness

One time, I was walking at the mall when I saw a bunch of kids sitting at a coffee shop. They were either holding iPad 2 or PSP, I don't know... It's too far to tell, but I'm telling you, these kids were surely enjoying the benefits of today's technology.

But if I were given a chance to remove all the technological benefits brought about by today's gadgets, will these kids enjoy their life? Probably not, unless if they don't think superficially.

That particular moment made me realize that life was simpler when I was still a kid. There were no iPads or PSPs in the mid-90s. All we have was a family computer and the infamous brick game. PlayStation One was new back then and it was fuckin' expensive! So in school, we always play rough games on our school's quadrangle; often times we get sweaty after and our teacher doesn't like it. Lol!

In today's time, kids gain instant friends whenever they have an iPad or any other high-tech gaming console. In my time, you gain millions of friends instantly when you have this:

My mom is the most practical woman in the world; she won't buy me a 64-crayon box. According to her, there are no reasons why kids should deal with highfalutin names of colors. Example: Turquoise Blue can be as simple as Blue. Apricot can be simply interpreted as flesh or light brown. Chartreuse can be... ugghh! She thought that other colors are unnecessary.

But because I was so adamant of wanting a 64-crayon box, she finally gave in and bought a 48-crayon box set instead. Well, not bad.

So I went to school with a big smile and showed it to my friends. Yeah, it caught the attention of the whole class. I felt like I was the friendliest person in the classroom that even those classmates of mine who were fond of bullying me became one of my instant friends. 

The box of crayons was truly magical.

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There was also a time when magnetic pencil cases became a trend to youngsters. I remembered when I was still in my first grade. My girl classmate who happened to be my seatmate bragged her new pencil case. Being an innocent and nice kid, I "oooohhhhh-ed" and "wooow-ed" instead of saying "Bitch, no one cares about your fuckin' pencil case". Kidding aside, you're already considered cool if you have that kind of pencil case, most especially if it has two floors.

"Pencil case na may second floor"

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Life back then was simpler than today; simple things can already make you happy. Today, it's getting more complicated than one can imagine. I have nothing against with change; it's inevitable and no one can stop it! Sure enough, these things today may bring happiness to us but it's just temporary and you'll eventually get tired of it. No, I'm not saying that kids these days shouldn't be allowed to own an iPad or what. It's just, there's more to life than owning one.

There are [intangible] things and people that you won't get tired of loving - your family, friends and love. One shouldn't worry if he doesn't own what's trendy these days. Money can't buy genuine happiness, if you'll ask.