 |
| live it up |
Adulthood comes with the implicit expectation of having serious discussions on worldly topics, regardless of subject depth. I have being doing my part by instigating discussions on topics that I quickly lose traction on. It is dangerous to use Wikipedia to fuel your thirst since it never really quenches it, even if you think you have had enough. I am interested in a host of topics, from politics to sport, from theology to singularity, from surrealism to one-way travel to Mars. But recently, I have been getting most muddled when it comes to the topic of quality of life.
The definition or the argument for ‘Quality of Life’ is so personal and so age sensitive that it would be a ridiculous feat for me to define it generically. Growing up India, the concept of life only began when playing hide and seek in the evenings ended. Despite the naivety of youth, I quickly learnt that quality of life had a lot to do with working hard or being born with a sliver spoon. My middle class existence placed an unbalanced weightage on money and what came with it. My education centric parents had made me equate grades into happiness. And my cooler than usual friends and elevated branded clothes pointlessly. The definition back then was so narrow, easy and so terribly wrong, that it made perfect sense.
Until of course, I got my young baby bottom to the United States of America. Earning $8 an hour and doing my own dishes, while trying to keep my grades up had made my statement of purpose letter look fairy irrelevant. As I got used to scrubbing the dishes clean, I began to notice the freshness of air that I was breathing, the complete lack of corruption and the magical feeling of true independence. America’s capitalistic and materialistic tendencies lined up perfectly well with me. I bought fantastic things, including a car that I had only dreamed off when I was 14 in a dusty library. I started travelling the world and the states within, notching up statistics that made me ever so happy. I was enjoying working hard and finding ways to spend the money I had saved, on vacations and branded denim purchases. It was then I began to hone in on the idea of what it means to have a good quality of life and was certain that I had found it. Despite the dish-washing involved, the land of free had liberated me. I told myself that money doesn’t equate directly to quality of life but never really believed it.
That freedom and pioneering spirit brought me here to Germany, my third land. To begin with, my American foundations had set a high benchmark. I was inherently suspicious of Germany’s socialistic overtures. It’s completely incompetent city government confirmed my fears. The tax structure was frustrating because the services in return were not living up to the billing. My two bedroom condo apartment in the US shrunk down to a smaller, non-garaged house. I could no longer afford to park a Lotus, much less race it. The inflated price of gasoline and heavily taxed premium cars axed my Porsche dreams. I was convinced that in terms of quality of life I had downsized.
A year later, I stand corrected. I suppose my purchasing power has dropped but my ability to enjoy my free time has more than tripled. Vacations are easily obtained and almost fully utilized. The separation of work and private like is phenomenally distinct. The country which is riddled with rules is equally gifted with strange freedoms. I find it liberating to not have to drive, just to run errands or to go to meet friends. The rate at which I am adding interesting company on Facebook is dizzying. On Sunny Sundays, I find myself lost in a field somewhere, enjoying blooming yellow flowers on a meadow. Somewhere, along the line, I had stopped ‘buying’ things but actually started using them.
It is clear the quality of life fluctuates. It could well be a function of age, personality and maturity. But it can be independent of where one lives. I can’t come up with concrete reasons why I couldn’t or didn’t do the things I do here in the US or for that matter in the US. Of course, one needs money but one doesn’t necessarily have to be filthy rich. Free time is required, but even more so is the will to use it liberally. Vacation destinations can vary, but what one really needs is the health and the energy to live it up fully. And socializing can be tantalizing on Saturday nights, but what you really need is the warm recharging loving company for the Sunday tea.
The truth is, that even after a hefty tax deduction, quality of life remains a fairly in-expensive argument. Following through on which, is surprisingly easier done than said.
During my travels last year, I realized that weekends could be filled up with so much to do. An entire day could be spent in smelling the flowers, sitting by the lake and just drowning yourself in the beauty of nature.
There is plenty to do in the US as well, but in Europe, you could visit a different country in a 2-3 hour car drive. That has got to be my most favorite thing about Europe 🙂
I began to realize that you don't need all the materialistic things to be happy.
A little off the topic but … I appreciated the minimalistic yet elegant furniture in Danish homes. It's like they don't have to try hard. They are the happiest people in the world for a reason! They work hard and thoroughly enjoy their weekends.. Get out more and try to appreciate the little things in life…
Hope you are having a great summer while we enjoy tornado season 😐
I really think as humans we word better with elimination of options. The fact that Germany closes down shop on Sunday has meant that I have no choice but to smell the flowers 🙂 in the US there was always an possibility of being 'productive' 🙂
Lovely post!
I do believe that unknowingly, we also tend to vary our definitions based on those around us. However hard we try not to be a part of the race, the fear of not being able to measure up to those around us always influences in our own personal definition of quality of life. Which is why, maybe, changing our social context is an effective way of showing us a different perspective..
totally agree! I am however going to carry my new found appreciations to newer locations to see how that works out 🙂
Surely you wouldn't agree- und ich verstehe warum, aber wenn der Sonntag-Tee wichtige ist, dass wirklich nicht Laende dependent sein muss, oder?
Doch! Ich hab's genau so gesagt;-)
🙂