Needs and wants

We are on the first of July, we are on the thresh hold of what is being called as Unlock 2. Since we know what this innocuous and actually silly term means let us jump into the post.

The world has changed, we have changed. The changes will continue.

 These days a video channel on YouTube fascinates me, called Living Big in a Tiny House the videos inspire me. The host and presenter is quite likeable and though his lines are so predictable there seems to be some genuine emotions in what he says. In one of the videos he also shared about his climb up to the top from a struggling actor to an Influencer on YouTube with over 3 million followers and making it a full time profession along with his wife / partner. The channel focuses on people who have built small homes on trailers and have downsized their lives to fit into these tiny homes.

Most of these home owners decided to give up their old lives and downsized to basic essentials with few possessions. They also changed their lives to fit into a small space that is often environment friendly and self- sufficient. These home owners are usually working from their homes and so they are happy to live in remote parts of the country in communion with nature. These homes are beautiful, the owners are admirable and I am hooked to the channel. Many of these videos are from a few years ago, the pre COVID19 days, so you can say that these people foresaw the future.

After more than 100 days of being locked up some of us have started understanding the difference between needs and wants. We have now started to understand that our needs can be fulfilled with fewer wants and most of what we wanted earlier is actually not needed now.  So many of our possessions have suddenly become useless and at times are a burden to us. For instance those who have a car on loan will be wondering if this is a white elephant (unfair to elephants actually) burning money while simply standing idle. This lockdown is an opportunity for many to live big with very little and to be happy for it. We are transforming from spend to save, consume to conserve, exist to live.

We know that this too shall pass and things may become better, however the lessons we have picked up should remain with us.