What I Want, What I Need

A week ago I marveled at the new iPhone 4 of my cousin, already thinking how I can come up with the money to buy one. Then a few days ago, i was amazed by the new iTouch Gen 4 of my other cousin. It has the same exact features of the iPhone without the ability to make phone calls, much cheaper so I thought, ok, this is what I want. But do I really need it?

I've been always in love with electronics gadgets. I even had the Mini Disc player before. But the technology on lasted what, 3 to 4 years, then came out the Mp3 players and the iPod. I also bought a Zire Palm handheld computer, but that didn't last either, since newer mobile phones had the same functions as the Palm. I am not the type of person who goes out buying stuff because it is the "IN" thing, but it is because there is a need for me to have these gadgets for its multi functions. So then if newer versions would come out, I don't really go out and upgrade immediately. If my current gadget can still function well, then even if I Want the new upgrade, I don't really Need it.

Materialistically, this is how we may decide if we buy things or not. Is there really a need for you to purchase it? would you not survive the day or the week, have sleepless nights, if you are not able to get what you Want? It is pretty easy to decide when we are just talking about gadgets, clothes, shoes and the like. These may be the bare necessities for some, and for those who have the money, it is easy to make that decision.

But what about the other things in Life? Things that money can't buy? Work, Love, Friendship? Just the like the Mastercard commercial, "the moments are priceless but for everything else there is Mastercard." Do you really think friendship can be bought? Or the girl loves you for who you are and not for your money?

I came to a crossroad where I had to decide whether I wanted a job that was to my benefit alone or if I needed a job that would be beneficial to my family even if I had to make certain sacrifices such as a pay cut. You see, I wanted to stay at this job but the work load and expectations have taken it's toll on me, despite the fact that I was in my comfort zone and I could do my work with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back, you reach to a point where you actually get burned out, not by the current workload but an accumulation of all the work you've done in the past, simply put I never slowed down. So do I go for what I Want or do I make the sacrifices to ensure that I get what I Need, and that is to have more work life balance and more quality time spent with the family.Some of you might say that you can actually have both. That is true. But there are certain situations wherein it tends to be a challenge to actually balance it. You might be digging a deeper hole if you look at it in a different perspective.

In Love and Friendship, you hear things like, "if you Want I will be there for you", "whenever you Need me you can just give me a call." It is very easy to accept these if it is offered this way, thus, Love and Friendship is at its simplest form. But of course, you may have heard people say that they will be there for you when they know that you Need them the most. I tried analyzing this but it kept me stumped for a time. You may have asked yourself the questions; When do you actually know when I need you? Do you have a rating scale from 1 to 10, that if my situation rates a 6, that means you know that I don't really need you at that time and I just Want you rather than I Need you?

So what is more important? The Wanting or the Needing? Is it better to have what you Want but don't Need it, rather than to Need it and not have it?

"It is better to appreciate what you have right now than spending most of your time wanting or needing. That way you will know the true value of what you really have."