September 26, 2012
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castles
My parents immigrated to Canada with very little money. We always had everything we needed, not to mention luxuries like my art, piano, and martial arts classes, but I know my parents had to work hard for it. Statements like “See how how late your father has to work?” and “Your father has to work hard for you. Don’t bother him while he’s working,” were drilled into me often and at an early age.
That taught me two things: guilt and worry.
My parents are quite secretive so I only started realizing a few years ago that they now actually have quite a bit of money, which annoyed me severely, because what do you mean I didn’t have to penny pinch all that time? Actually, I still like being frugal … but what do you mean I didn’t have to worry about money all that time??
Trumon and I are annoyed that the parents are starting to behave like the other rich people we know, bringing home new ipads and cars and other designer items on a whim. It’s true what they say about rich people – money makes you lose sight of what’s really important. It is so easy for the freedom and the possibilities of money to make you forget that your wealth – no matter how hard you worked for it – is a privilege that shouldn’t be squandered. I hope I never forget that.
Anyway.
I still worry about money as much as the next 20-something in a university arts program. Especially living in Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in the world, where $700,000 could – at most – buy you an old house that’s falling apart. How are [Cosmo] and I ever supposed to make it?
Cosmo was annoyed at first when I told him. I know it’s not fair that his family has always been struggling but that mine is now out of the red. But the sudden windfall changes things. My parents aren’t about to hand me free money; I still have to pay for my own education and expenses. But the safety net is there. Maybe it isn’t too foolish to dream. Cosmo’s working at a job that doesn’t realize his potential and that doesn’t pay him very much. I don’t want him to have to do that forever.
We can move to the Gulf Islands and watch the sun set and rise on the harbour every day. I can feed the world with my organic farm. We can find nonprofit work that is true to what makes our hearts beat. We can be ourselves in a world that asks us to be everything else.
