Immediate Gratification

We have a DISHWASHER!!! This is an awesome commodity to have on the island. But we can’t use it. It is missing a piece to hook it up to the sink. No worries Home Depot here sells that piece. But guess what? They are out of that specific piece. When will it be in, you ask? Well next week, a month, who really knows. Luckily, the dishwasher has a cutting board like counter top. So, we can still use itJ

Living on the mainland/continental USA immediate gratification is just a regular part of life. We don’t even think about it. If we want something specific to eat no doubt there is someplace open that sells it. If we need a computer part or a new tv, we just hit the local electronics or computer store and get what we need. If we run out of toilet paper there will surely be a grocery store open 24 hours or a gas station that sells it. So picking leaves from the bushes in the yard is not something we ever have to resort toJ

But it bothered me that my children were growing up with every need or whim being able to be satisfied right away. It is really hard to teach that material goods are not the most important thing in life. Or that waiting for something is ok and allows you the time to know whether you really need it. I mean seriously we truly have way too much stuff. And part of the reason for this is that we can get whatever we want, whenever we want it. If we have the monetary means to do so.

But here on the island this is not how life works. I am actually grateful for that. It is frustrating at times. But looking at the big picture of this, it is a great way to teach my kids about what is important in life. Hopefully, I will be teaching them how to wait for things and the long-term gratification that the waiting brings to them.

At a beach party this afternoon, I was speaking to a computer guy all about this. How he works at the university. Which doesn’t help him when he needs a computer part. He still has to wait month(s) to get it. But seriously why is it that we need to have everything as soon as we desire it or need it? I mean it isn’t really a need is it? So, for me I am truly grateful that my children are now getting to experience having to wait for things in life. Things we want as a family, things we want for art projects, school, books to read etc. And no I am not Buddhist. I just think immediate gratification is a bit overrated!!!