My son and I like to talk about many topics. Sometimes we talk about his favorite cartoons such as Boboiboy, Paw Patrol, and Detective Conan. Other times, we talk about my daily life as a blogger. One day, I asked my 7 years old son, “Can money buy everything?”. His answer surprised me.
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| There are things that money can't buy |
Ticket to Heaven
SID was playing a game on smartphone while he answered my question. At first, I thought he didn’t listen to me.
He said, “Heaven. We cannot buy a ticket to heaven even though we have lots of money.”
I couldn’t agree more with his answer. As a moslem, the ultimate goal is to be rewarded with a place in heaven. Al Quran describes heaven as a beautiful garden, close to Allah, filled with dignity and satisfaction.
We may have a million dollars to buy things, to help the poor, to build a mosque, or to donate to the orphanage. However, we cannot directly buy a ticket to heaven.
Can I Buy Happiness?
Moreover, we talked about happiness. In my daily life I want to be happy but life is not always rainbows and butterflies. Sometimes things go out of control. We can make a plan, act as best as we can, but sometimes we feel sad or disappointed.
Can I just simply buy happiness to make my day better? I found a related article on Insider which said,
“Spending money on experiences or items that align with your values can increase your potential for happiness.”
Of course we need money to buy material things or experiences, such as traveling, to fulfill our basic needs and to make ourselves happy.
Speaking about money, I remember a funny yet philosophical comic entitled “Pupus Putus Sekolah” (Pupus Drop Out of School). Yeah, I read comics on Webtoons for entertainment during my daily life as a mom. Pupus, the main character, wanted to be rich so she could buy everything. She wanted to show off her wealth so that everyone was jealous.
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| Will you do this when you are so rich? (source: Pupus Putus Sekolah on Webtoons) |
Finding Happiness in A New Place
Related to my current situation, I (and my family) have just moved to a small town in East Java. It is a completely new place and leaving a comfort nest in Jakarta is such a new challenge. I have to deal with adaptation because the facilities here are not as much as in big cities.
Here, in a new town, I try to feel comfortable with the new situation. One of my requests to my husband before we move here is the internet. “Please install Wi-Fi at home. We need an internet provider,” I said.
He searched for internet provider in order to continue working remotely. I also need it because my daily life as a blogger really needs an internet connection. My son also uses the internet for studying online. Nowadays internet provider is a primary need.
Alhamdulillah in this town we found a stable internet provider such as IndiHome which provides internet fixed broadband. IndiHome is a digital service that provides Home Internet, Home Telephone and Interactive TV (IndiHome TV) with a variety of package options. It offers some packages for 1P (internet only), 2P (internet and phone), 3P (internet, phone, and TV), package for gamers, and even a bundling package with Netflix.
IndiHome, part of Telkom Group, is one of leading internet fixed broadband in Indonesia. It has reached various provinces throughout Indonesia from Aceh to Papua. IndiHome's internet fixed broadband service in Aceh is 100% full fiber and has reached the entire province of Aceh.
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| Our very first camping experience |
In this town, I had no friends at all. Then, I tried to contact an old friend, who I haven't met for 10 years, through social media and chat messenger. His house is about two hours drive from here. He invited me and my family to go camping together. Wow, it was a really nice idea.
I remember when we went camping. It was a new experience for the entire family. We had a hard time setting up a tent and making a bonfire. But overall we enjoyed camping and were grateful to stay warm in the tent when it rains at night.
My daily life in this new place has become easier, one of the reasons is because of the internet provider here. There is no book store here, only stationary, but using the internet I can buy books in e-commerce. *there’s always a reason to do online shopping, hehe ….😁
My children and I also can read e-books online to save money. There are so many free children’s story books such as Literacy Cloud, Let’s Read, and Kepompong Kecil.
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| Togetherness with loved ones just like this need no money |
Yes, we use money to buy things and experiences in order to make us happy. However, we don't always need money to be happy. There are simple things that make us happy like compliments, appreciation, sincere smiles, or togetherness with loved ones. Happiness is about how we live our lives.
So, what do you think, can money buy everything? Is there any other thing that money cannot buy?
Reference:
Can Money Buy Happiness. https://www.insider.com/guides/health/mental-health/can-money-buy-happiness
Loh kamu pindah Jatim tho mbaaa?
ReplyDeleteDi.mana? Bukan Sby kah?
Yaa mbak for couple of time will be in Manhattan, eh Magetan 😁
DeleteSukaaa dengan jawabannya ❤️❤️❤️. Iyeees, uang ga akan bisa beli tiket ke surga. Itu satu2 nya hal yang harus diraih dengan effort luar biasa dari manusianya ❤️. Pinter jawaban anaknya mba, 👍.
ReplyDeleteTapi aku setuju, kalo uang bisa beli banyak kebahagiaan dengan mudah. Cuma ga seharusnya bahagia itu mahal. Toh tergantung dari kitanya. Orang yg selalu bersyukur, biasanya akan LBH mudah bahagia Krn dia menciptakan kebahagiaan itu sendiri
Dan seberapapun effort kita, surga itu berupa reward. Semoga Allah ridho kita dan keluarga bisa masuk surga. Aamiin.
DeleteThanks for sharing yaa Mbak Fanny
Uang bukan segalanya, tapi kita butuh uang untuk hidup. Ga mesti seba mahal, bahkan yang murah dan sederhana saja sudah bisa membuat kita bahagia. Kebersamaan keluarga, dengan teman lama di manapun berada, paling nyaman jika kita dapat terhubung online dengan orang2 tersayang.
ReplyDeleteDepends on how we use money, being grateful. Punya banyak uang tidak selalu pasti bahagia.
DeleteUang bisa bikin bahagia karena dengan punya uang kita bisa memenuhi banyak kebutuhan / keinginan dengan mudah. Tapi tentu saja ada banyak bahagia yang bisa didapat tanpa harus pakai uang. Ada pula kebahagiaan yang ga bisa dibeli.
ReplyDeleteSelipan cerita soal niat Pupus ingin kaya agar bisa membeli segalanya dan ingin memamerkan kekayaannya sehingga semua orang iri, ini si Pupus mesti dididik dengen bener nih hehe. Pasalnya, jika nanti ada orang yang lebih kaya dari dia, bisa membeli segalanya, dia pun dipastikan akan IRI. Pupus si anak tidak bahagia. Karena kalau dia bahagia, tidak akan ada kata iri dalam pikiran dan kamus hidupnya. Orang yang bahagia akan punya cara pandang yang positif terhadap kekayaan.
Jadilah orang yang selalu merasa cukup, supaya bahagia.
MasyaAllah sepakat dengan pernyataan pertamamu Mbak Rien. Lebih baik lagi kaya harta dan menebar manfaat untuk umat
DeleteSid, wanna ice cream? Hehe
ReplyDeleteSemoga lancar di tempat baru yaa.
Uang hanya alat kan yaa 😁 yg penting Allah cukupkan selalu kebahagiaannya. .btw wifinya kenceng kaaan?
Aamiin ... Iyaa alhamdulillah lancar ngezoom nih
DeleteThat’s sound great for your answer as a mother. If i may know, where u stay now ? East Java? Ahh, times flies so fast, really. Pandemi changing everything, i think.
ReplyDeleteFelt’s indihome still the best in small town.
Yes, we'll stay in a town that sounds like "Manhattan" in East Java in a couple of months. Can you guess where are we?
Deletekonsep uang tidak bisa beli semua yang diinginkan selain barang di dunia ini memang harus diterapkan ke anak-anak ya.
ReplyDeleteyes, Mbak Aie :)
DeleteMoney can't buy happiness, true. But everything needs money hihi
ReplyDeleteThe saying means that true happiness comes from within, not from possessions that can be bought. Beyond the ability to pay your bills, happiness is a state of mind that is short-lived when you base it on physical objects and the numbers in an investment portfolio. To borrow a quote from the movie Forrest Gump, “There’s only so much money a man really needs, the rest is just for showing off.”
true happiness comes from within, it depends on how we think and feel, being grateful of what we have. Thanks for sharing Neng!
DeleteHappiness is about how we live our lives. Yes indeed.
ReplyDeleteSuka sekali dengan diskusi bersama anaknya. Karena dengan diskusi ini yang pelan-pelan kita bisa menanamkan hal-hal baik ke anak ya mbak. Semoga kepindahan ini selalu membawa keberkahan yaa.
aamiin ... terima kasih Mbak Isti.
Deleteiya, lewat dialog kecil seperti ini melekatkan hubungan orang tua-anak sambil menanamkan pesan kebaikan.
Menurutku selain kebahagiaan yang tidak bisa dibeli dengan uang, kesehatan jiwapun tidak bisa dibeli dengan uang
ReplyDeletesemakin kaya bukan berarti bebas dari mental health, yaa. Walaupun artinya punya dana untuk berobat. It's a good point.
DeleteBuy experiences is something that I couldn't agree more, Mbak. I believe our experiences will make us more valuable and in the end live happily.
ReplyDeleteFor internet provider, I also just resgisterd IndiHome for our new house. Alhamdulillah the connection is super good.
wah pindah rumah, Mbak Eva?
DeleteIts not always about money. Money is only tools that can make us buy something. But in the life, we often find happiness without money. Thats why we must pray to god.
ReplyDeleteRezeki sesungguhnya hanya dari Allah :)
DeleteMoney buy many things that can make us happy but it is temporary feeling. What we are searching is not just a temporary hapiness but everlasting hapiness and i couldn't agree more with you mbak tjere are many things that money just cant buy experiemces and ofd course heaven :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! New place, new hope. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteHm, btw, money is not everything: It can buy you a house but not a home. It can buy you a clock but not time....etc
Uang bisa membeli segalanya sampai ke jabatan kehormatan dkk Tapi dengan uang juga bisa bikin sengsara perang antar sodara.
ReplyDeleteSemua.yamg berlebihan tidak baik menurut saya selalu.merasa cukup dan bersyukur selalu.
Cukup itu memiliki arti luas disaat butuh liburan eeeh kok ada rejeki cukup disaat anak2 mau masuk.sekolah eee kok.tabungan cukup..
Uang memang tidak bisa membeli segalanya
ReplyDeleteTapi segalanya butuh uang
Nah, terus gimana? Hehe
Yang penting kita harus bisa selalu bersyukur ya mbak
Aku pun begituuuu kyknya tinggal di mana aja oke asal inet kenceng haha.
ReplyDeleteMengenai uang tak bisa membeli kebahagiaan, iyes sih krn yang bikin bahagia sebenarnya adalah rasa sykur atas yang kita miliki yaaa.
Sebentar-sebentar, ini teh beneran udah pindah ke Jatim?
ReplyDeleteKirain masih di seputaran ibukota sini. Anak udah sekolah di sana dong ya? Pasti ibunya yg kewalahan deh, secara anaknya kan kritis dan pintar banget...
One of my friend said, "Yes money can't buy happiness, but if you love traveling, you can go to anywhere you want that make you happy by money.
ReplyDeleteYang kebayang kalau punya sejumlah uang pasti bisa menikmati hal ini dan itu.
ReplyDeleteTetapi belum tentu saat itu kita bahagia yaa.. Bisa jadi lupa diri, bisa jadi malah menjadi fitnah. Yang terbaik memang menikmati apa yang ada dengan kesederhanaan dan kebahagiaan yang mengiringi.
Barakallahu fiik, SID.
Selalu jadi inspirasi bagi teman-teman Mama (Helena).
Waah mbaknya pindah yaa, semoga betah di sana dan makin banyak rejekinya yaa.
ReplyDeleteKalau pendapatku uang itu cuma alat untuk membeli sesuatu yang bikin kita happy, tapi kadang kalau belinya hanya sebatas benda, happy-nya hanya sesaat. Beda cerita kalau kita beli pengalaman pakai uang misal dipakai traveling, itu pasti walau traveling udah lewat, tapi kenangannya masih membekas dan bikin happy terus.
Good internet can buy you happiness, right? hahahaa... what could we do without it since everything we do as blogger need internet connection.
ReplyDeleteUang memang bukan segalanya.. tapi semua butuh uang.. Kita mau camping pun butuh uang wkwk.. Tapi bukan berati semua muanya dinilai dengan uang ya...
ReplyDelete