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March 5, 2004
Some personal musings
By QBlog in
Proverbs 23:4-5
Do not wear yourself out to get rich;One of the things that troubled me most while my wife was active in Quixtar was the apparent focus on obtaining wealth. She was constantly discussing the incomes, homes, vacations, cars, etc. of various "Quixtar successes." While I was (and still am) very happy for all those "successes" there seemed to be this belief that such "wealth" would bring happiness, contentment and even freedom.
have the wisdom to show restraint.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Quixtar was the ticket for our family to obtain those goals and more. We didn't want to be ultra-rich globetrotters living in some modern-day "Gatsby" fantasy. We just wanted security, stability, time and a quality of life that we honestly weren't experiencing all that much. We just wanted more.
Yet there was something about such pursuits that rang hollow in my soul. My mother died of cancer when I was 14. She taught me many things about life in those 14 years and one of the most important lessons I learned was that what really matters most in life isn't material wealth and success but how we treat our fellow man no matter what our personal condition. She showed me this by example and I know now that when she passed away, she did so as the richest woman in the world.
Now, I'm a realist and I know some will read this and believe that I'm some apologist for lazy bastards. That somehow I'm advocating a life of poverty and suggesting that it's superior to a life of monetary wealth and physical prosperity. Of course, those people are wrong and also fools. What I am saying is that it's easy to lose focus on what really matters in life, especially when striving for "riches." What I observed during my wife's involvement in Quixtar was a focus on wealth as a solution to all of life's problems and the key to happiness. The reality is that there are a lot of sad, frustrated and unhappy millionaires out there.
Comments
I was 13 when my mom died of cervix cancer. I knew from then that life is too short to waste on things. People matter more and trying to be the best me is task enough and sharing in the lives of friends and family is most important. My mom wasn't so happy and my dad worked long hours and though we weren't millionaires, we were fairly comfortable. Providing for a child's physical, emotional and social wellbeing was a bit neglected by my parents, so I've spent many years learning to do that for myself and trying to be the best example for my daughter. She's 18, she wouldn't mind getting herself a Lexus one day, but she too knows what is important (her husband, children, family) and that feels great. I found the business people preaching things that I grew up with and I knew I deserved better than what they had to offer. I'd already been down their road of seeking happiness through things and lying to yourself that what lies you were telling were justified. Thanks Q for sharing about your mom. I'm just glad to be 2 years now past the age when she died. Life is great!
That's funny. If you look in the next chapter, it says:
27 Prepare your work outside, get everything ready for you in the field; and after that build your house.
Take that to any bible scholar (as I have) and they'll tell you how that means to Build your business before getting comfortable and enjoying that life that's just "too short to waste on things."
You know, it may be hard for you to believe or understand, but some of us aren't out to make it rich. Sure, we understand that we can be rich in this business, but a lot of us just want some kind of residual income and see this as a good way FOR US to get it, so we can rest assured that there will be something coming in for our families.
You can call it whatever you like. But the Bible calls it being a good steward.
Cross your fingers, whip out the garlic, hide in a corner for all eternity because people have different means of preparing that perverbial field. I'm still kinda awestruck. Lisa says (and I only use her as an example because she just said it) that life is to short to waste on things. Yet she's here, right now, posting her hate-speach against Quixtar. Well, that's fine. She can say what she thinks and wants. It's all gravy and it gives me something to laugh at during the stresses of the daily life, but it is something of a living contradiction. If life is too short, why are you here?
That been said, I'm really glad life's been great for you, Lisa. Believe it or not, it's great for me, an active IBO, too.
Dwighty,
Glad you're awestruck and that you can get a laugh out of my comments. I'm into comic relief myself and you're often quite funny yourself. I'm glad life is great as an IBO. I didn't find it so and I hope that if anyone else begins to seek out Quixtar info, they will read about the experiences other people have had, good or bad, to be in touch with people they can relate to. Especially people who were in a while like me and who found it not to be the best thing and to validate that yes, a lot of it is a load of junk. Just a little more healing time for me and I may decide not to be here anymore, but for now it works for me.
Personally, being an active IBO yourself, I wonder why you hang out here? It's your choice, but if you so love the business, I don't see the need to have to be here defending yourself/the business, responding to "negative or opposed speak" about the business everyday/etc. here.
Anyway, I do like your sarcasm at times.
What's that old saying" Something along the lines of "you don't own the money, it owns you", or something to that effect.
You're rich if you have your health, your family, etc. THAT'S THE REAL FOCUS!~
Posted by: Doug | March 5, 2004 11:07 PM