The Trappings of Life

By: Jojette Asumbrado Ramos

In this modern life of ours, there are lots of traps just around the corner.

Life is much simpler if we just be contented of what we have. But how come, we just cannot be happy with it. As always, these desires within to acquire the things which we do not have, always haunt us.  The system too, is encouraging us to buy those things we really do not need. Why it always works, because these people are aware of the greed in each human heart. The need to be accepted among our friends and colleagues, and thinking that owning material things, allows us to be more likeable among the people surrounding us.

This need to have things for ourselves to be identified as someone successful among people is very strong, which allowed businessmen and women to get rich beyond their wildest dreams. People will tend to leave their family behind, in order to work in foreign lands, to be able to buy those expensive things, which in reality, they really do not need. By so doing, they are alienated to the most important in their lives, their family. As the family experiences these changes in their lives, they want to have more. And that means; the bread winner has to work harder and be away more from them. The result, as most is happening today, most families are deserted in emotional support, and their love will be empty and as years passes by, inevitably take place, separation. Could be due to third parties, or their health will depreciate due to loneliness or fatigue.

Is it really tempting to be so rich and famous, or maybe to be powerful? I guess it is. Many had been victims to these trappings. If only, people will see the importance of togetherness and family; life could have been easier and simpler. Simplicity is a gift, which few only realized.

We do not need these imported things which the market always flashes everywhere we go. Long time ago, we were better than today. Happier and freer in our lives. People nowadays are working like a cow, for what? For them to maintain the high life style they had made for themselves. Is it important? In actuality it is not. But I cannot blame those who are caught in these traps; it had been well thought of the people who will gain much from feeding the greed in every one’s heart.

I would like to cite a particular example, which I was able to get it from reading the book of Paulo Coelho entitled, “The Winner Stands Alone”.  He mentioned in there, about Diamonds. The market trend is that, “Diamond is forever.” The adage tells us, if you want something to last forever, a diamond is a symbolism for that. This will be the most sought after gifts women would want from their rich suitors or to their husbands’. Regardless if they really meant the true love they profess. But if you think how those diamonds were acquired, pretty sure, you would never let those rocks to your body. It is a symbol of death and deception. Before those rocks reached to the jewelry stores, these passed from hands-to-hands of unscrupulous people. There were deaths along the way, before it reaches to the stores where it glitters and entice us to purchase, a stone which causes lots of blood to shed, but which the market label as Forever.

If now that you knew how these rocks are acquired, would you still wanting to buy those for your love ones?