I went to a party last night of all nights for a childhood friend. The event came as a surprise probably the works of his dutiful girlfriend. Since I know what it's like to celebrate a birthday, the intangible importance of it, I willingly went shamefully without a gift in tow. I guess giving gifts aren't common these days anyways.
In the party I saw friends that I like to see and haven't seen a long time, and naturally I saw some of his friends that I don't like to see. It's not a crowd I could control, and it was not my event so I tried to make the most out of it by concentrating on the smashing cheap drink, chips and selected conversations.
During the highs and lows of friendly camaraderie, money seems to be the main topic of discussion. My friends were talking about their jobs and the absence of it. They talk about investments. They talk about franchising. They talk about promotions and marketing. They talk about closing deals. They talk about anything that concerns financial security and financial abundance while I relished the conversation with a 30 something guy with a fun theory about his short hair. Anything but money conversations.
People my age are either boasting or vocally airing out their frustrations about money making and business. They set up goals for people to hear and for people to cheer for. While they were sharing insights on business and on their financial capabilities, I sip my drink and search for other happy conversations to at least take my mind off the responsibilities, financial expectations and turmoils my contemporaries and I are facing.
Our age must have called for these types of conversations. They expect people to relate. Well, sadly I don't. I don't like the talk of money, investments and business plans in a party. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It's true that I don't have a business, probably I don't have the mechanisms and heart for one. It's true that my investments are my own personal choice and a secret I hold dear. My plans for the future are something personal and an ongoing internal battle for me to achieve. I realize that I don't have to put those on the table and share it in a party. I'm not the type who would ask about business ventures, money making capabilities and other people's goals in parties because in a way it's a venue for people to enjoy and escape. Everyone should respect that. How could I when I think about the financial struggles and climb of my contemporaries? Money and businesses are lovely to study and talk about, but not in a party. It's not a common thing that people share that leaves happy thoughts and memories in ones' mind. It often gives room for anxiety and expectations.
I may be nobody now and my financial power has remained to a negative. I'm not proud of that and certainly I don't want to talk about it. If there are goals and strategies in mind that I should accomplish, it's not something I would share to the world much more in a place where it's the least subject to talk about. My father often told me that a party is a party, money matters and business discussion don't have a place there. It ruins the entire mood. I guess I got it from him. I know in this age, my contemporaries are restless financial creatures. I may not join the bandwagon, but I understand the pressure in our generation. I have enough of those issues every single regular day of my life. For me, parties should be an escape and not about too much financial discussions. Otherwise I would've just stayed at home and try to deal with it like I always have.
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