Quality vs Quantity (of Life)

Something hit me recently. What’s so good about life? Calm down, I don’t mean it like that. I’m referring to the rules and standards governing what’s good and not so good in and about life. It hit me when having a conversation with a co-worker about career choices and quality of life.

It started with a comment about the security guard in the parking lot of our office. “I sure would hate to be that guy,” she says. “What a waste of life just sitting in a car all night.” I agree; there are better things you can contribute to the world. I said, “Sounds pretty good to me. Getting paid to play Angry Birds and talk on the phone.” She rebuts, “But he ain’t making no money doing that. Besides, how much Angry Birds can you play?” I said, “That guy is probably saying I’d sure hate to be that guy running back and forth past that window all day.” She then says, “That job don’t pay what this job pays. He ain’t got the cool stuff I got.”

Ok, stop. I immediately switched to my objective inverted perspective. While presumably everything my co-worker said may be true, she really does not know. For all she knows that guy may own that security company and the contract may be very lucrative. He may be single with no kids or pets, living with a roommate in a modest apartment without a car note or any other major bills. That means whatever he earns will go much further than what she earns which is split in many directions. He may be an heir to a fortune but just works the security job for healthcare benefits. And most importantly of all, he may get to go home after 8 hours and enjoy his “cool stuff” whereas my co-worker spends 2 hours commuting and 10 -12 working almost every day. Her family rarely sees him.

So who’s doing good? I would trade every dime my father ever made to have him back. The time he spent working or tired from working long hours that he couldn’t be at my basketball practices, track meets, PTA meetings, science fairs, etc. would have meant more than some “cool stuff”. I am very appreciative for what was provided such as food, clothing, and shelter. I don’t know how much money he made so if he made any more or less I don’t know if I would have noticed. I do know he died before he retired and left all his “cool stuff” to people who didn’t work for it.

Quality of life is not in what you earn or what you have. It’s in what you value and what you do to support and appreciate that. Money comes and goes. Time just goes. Don’t confuse having money or things with having a good quality of life. There are many people who grew up without money, things or even parents who turned out to be some of the most successful and generous contributors to our society. There are also those who grew up having everything and wound up depressed, incarcerated, or committed suicide. Take a moment to find out what’s really important to not only you but to your family and others who need you. You may find that you’re doing too much and it’s still not enough.

-- Wood Butler, Jr.


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