Friday, November 30, 2007
How the other half lives...
With the exception of a very small handful of individuals (The Queen, Bill Gates, Roman Abromivitch, etc) everyone has someone who is wealthier, better off, more powerful, etc., etc. Good healthy psyches aren't particularly bothered by this. If you enjoy your life, what matter what others have?
I know I live a fairly blessed life, and on the whole quite enjoy it. Just occasionally though I come across someone, or a circumstance, and just have to think what it would be like if... We went to dinner with LL's boss last night. Oddly, in terms of influence and authority I would weigh myself against him and come out rather well. He though, is in a highly affluent business (as is indeed my darling wife). He's been at it a while, and has done rather nicely.
Their house is nice, a bit larger than ours, but nothing that set me thinking. In fact given where it is I wouldn't want to live there (they share a lane with wealthy footballers). His children were no better nor worse than mine. His wife, though very pleasant, did not attract me in any shape or form as much as my own LL does.
Yet he started talking about the Chalet in Verbier... They are well off enough not to have to rent it out. They have a full time housekeeper there, who does double duty living with them in the off season months. Indeed she had cooked the dinner we ate, and would be heading back to Verbier next week as the snow was finally falling. When the go out it is with nanny (who also skis), so they get nicely taken care of. Its walking distance to the lifts, surrounded by good restaurants. In winter and summer they go out most weekends, and will spend Christmas and Easter there.
Not bad, not bad at all. My life will be no less fulfilling if I never have a Chalet in Verbier, but... I just couldn't help thinking that such a thing would be very nice indeed.
I know I live a fairly blessed life, and on the whole quite enjoy it. Just occasionally though I come across someone, or a circumstance, and just have to think what it would be like if... We went to dinner with LL's boss last night. Oddly, in terms of influence and authority I would weigh myself against him and come out rather well. He though, is in a highly affluent business (as is indeed my darling wife). He's been at it a while, and has done rather nicely.
Their house is nice, a bit larger than ours, but nothing that set me thinking. In fact given where it is I wouldn't want to live there (they share a lane with wealthy footballers). His children were no better nor worse than mine. His wife, though very pleasant, did not attract me in any shape or form as much as my own LL does.
Yet he started talking about the Chalet in Verbier... They are well off enough not to have to rent it out. They have a full time housekeeper there, who does double duty living with them in the off season months. Indeed she had cooked the dinner we ate, and would be heading back to Verbier next week as the snow was finally falling. When the go out it is with nanny (who also skis), so they get nicely taken care of. Its walking distance to the lifts, surrounded by good restaurants. In winter and summer they go out most weekends, and will spend Christmas and Easter there.
Not bad, not bad at all. My life will be no less fulfilling if I never have a Chalet in Verbier, but... I just couldn't help thinking that such a thing would be very nice indeed.
