NotebookThe secret to a happy life (Part 1)
A story I read somewhere:
An American businessman was standing at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish.
"How long did it take you to catch them?" the American asked.
"Only a little while," the Mexican replied.
"Why don't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" the American then asked.
"I have enough to support my family's immediate needs," the Mexican said.
"But," the American then asked, "What do you do with the rest of your time?"
The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senor."
The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds you buy a bigger boat, and with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the consumers, eventually opening your own can factory. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise."
The Mexican fisherman asked, "But senor, how long will this all take?"
The American replied, "15-20 years."
"But what then, senor?"
The American laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO (Initial Public Offering) and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions, senor? Then what?"
The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos..."
I read this story somewhere on the Internet a couple weeks ago. I don't remember where, but I wanted to share it. It makes a good point. Chasing the power and wealth that can be earned in modern America can be a senseless struggle. What we already have is often all we really need.
That said, the pursuit of power and wealth can be noble. For example, my parents worked hard to provide comfortable, free lives for me and my four brothers and sisters; my wife's parents did the same for her and her sister. I admire our parents for that, and I want to give that to my own little Sneeders, and so I will work my hardest to do the same. This demands that I acquire wealth, to some degree, and with wealth often comes power. I don't know if I will gain as much as my parents have, but it is one of my goals. If that time comes, I'll need to be responsible with it. But that is another post for another day.
I would love to spend my life fishing, metaphorically speaking. I'd love to do nothing but write what I want to write. Play basketball or baseball or whatever whenever I want. Lay around. Spend all day doing nothing but praying and reading. Spending time with my wife and, when I have them, the little Sneeders. Nonetheless, it's important for me to remember the proper priorities: my family, and my time with them, and my relationships.
To that end, this story was a good reminder, and so I thought I'd share.
- Brandon
P.S. Another way to get a happy life is, of course, simply to get a Cooper.
Reader Comments (5)
Did you really refer to our future children as "my own little Sneeders"...
Hmm.. not quite sure how I feel about that. Guess I'm still not used to the name yet, I don't kow.
But yeah, that's a really good story, thanks for sharing :)
Haha yes! We are going to have little Sneeders!
Hahaha I thought him calling them "little Sneeders" was quite amusing.. actually chuckled to myself a few times.
Good story, Brandon, thanks for sharing! Definitely gives something to think about. :)
I chucked to myself when I wrote it.
Word.
Where is Part 2?
I need the secrets...