money v. love .

Oh, how I love ultimatum questions -- not. People think that life is as easy as one hand or the other. It's really not that simple -- but more a complex web of those crazy forks in the road that force you to choose between many paths. If you really wanted to simplify and dumb it down, you could probably put it into one of those flow charts like they have in medical books when you're trying to figure out what the fuck sort of disease you've somehow ended up with.


One of the more popular ones is the battle between money and love. People ask, would you rather be rolling in dough or enveloped in the deepest love of your life? So many take the modest love answer, but let's be honest, there are valid arguments for both sides.

The money argument:
You don't have a problem paying the bills. You can spoil your kids, grandkids, and most especially, your significant other (a thing I always seem strapped for cash for and I hate it...). Oh, and you can occasionally spoil yourself too. You don't have to live paycheck to paycheck, watching your account drain itself as soon as someone put some water in the sink. You can afford the house you want in the right location, the fantastic vacations and trips to all the exotic places you could ever desire to visit. You can support you and your family's endeavors, whether they be artistic, musical, or athletic. Or perhaps some strange knickknack like collecting postage stamps.

But with all of that money, we assume that you wouldn't have the life that you really want. The love wouldn't be there. You can't fill your heart with things. Though I think some people make a pretty convincing cover for that... In my opinion, money complicates things. There are a lot of things and decisions you have to make that come with having that much money. It might just be easier to pass it up. A healthy paycheck for sufficient living is nice, but excess, I don't think, is ever the answer.

The love argument:
You struggle paying the bills, but you have the most wonderful family you could ever ask for. Times may be hard, but who cares when you have the love of your life to back you up and you her? You know that you would do anything for each other, and that no matter what happens, you two will get each other through the hard times 'til death do us part'. That's the great thing about truly loving someone and them loving you -- they are always there for you no matter what. And even if you are strapped for cash, it's makes those very few and far between vacations or special events that much more special. It's a much bigger deal, and you have the best person in the world to share it all with.

If you make the decision to have kids though, there are suddenly all kinds of stresses, financial burdens, and responsibilities. It may sour the relationships you have somewhat, and forget about free time. But that's what love is all about right? Making sacrifices.


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The battle between love and money will be a timeless argument I think, much like which came first, the chicken or the egg? My answer? Who cares. I just want to live my life to the fullest and soak up the most out of what I have around me and the people I meet. On second thought.. soak is not the best word. Let me keep it simple. I just want to live.