Materialistic world
Just been through a rotten 48 hours with friends which has challenged my morals and our friendship.
I thought I was doing a good thing by donating the money, that I would otherwise have chipped in to a -in my opinion- useless present, which almost always is a birthday gift bought for the sake of a birthday, and usually surmounts to expensive jewellery every single year.
If you just knew, our friend circle has become constant birthday celebrations which includes a facebook message asking what present we shall get, and others just handing over the money when all has been decided. I despise it. And although I've sat on the idea of months, I was convinced by a friend to stand up for my belief this time round, because the birthday girl is a closer friend; as opposed to waiting until my birthday. Wrong judgement.
She tells me on the phone that it is up to me where I spend my money, but immediately after my call, tells another close friend of ours that she doesn't understand why they should be mutually exclusive events: donating to Haiti and buying someone a present. 'It's the thought that counts', she tells me, even if its a useless gift.
Mum tells me it is wrong that I have used her birthday as an excuse to donate, but does agree this 'chipping in' business is totally unnecessary. In a way, I guess donating money is an excuse on my part. I want to break the tradition of spending money on our own selfish ways, and give it to people who will be forever thankful, and not a thank you for one day from one person - before the gift is discarded in a cupboard hardly seeing the light of day.
And my ultimate conclusion is this. Can people not see past this and understand my initial motives were good, and we should all help charity instead?
I would have felt more rotten if I hadn't immediately received a BBim message from a friend, who requested that I donate money to charity on his birthday which will be 11 months away. I feel like I need support for my actions because I feel I'm in the wrong, but I know I am not.
I thought we were adults.
I thought I was doing a good thing by donating the money, that I would otherwise have chipped in to a -in my opinion- useless present, which almost always is a birthday gift bought for the sake of a birthday, and usually surmounts to expensive jewellery every single year.
If you just knew, our friend circle has become constant birthday celebrations which includes a facebook message asking what present we shall get, and others just handing over the money when all has been decided. I despise it. And although I've sat on the idea of months, I was convinced by a friend to stand up for my belief this time round, because the birthday girl is a closer friend; as opposed to waiting until my birthday. Wrong judgement.
She tells me on the phone that it is up to me where I spend my money, but immediately after my call, tells another close friend of ours that she doesn't understand why they should be mutually exclusive events: donating to Haiti and buying someone a present. 'It's the thought that counts', she tells me, even if its a useless gift.
Mum tells me it is wrong that I have used her birthday as an excuse to donate, but does agree this 'chipping in' business is totally unnecessary. In a way, I guess donating money is an excuse on my part. I want to break the tradition of spending money on our own selfish ways, and give it to people who will be forever thankful, and not a thank you for one day from one person - before the gift is discarded in a cupboard hardly seeing the light of day.
And my ultimate conclusion is this. Can people not see past this and understand my initial motives were good, and we should all help charity instead?
I would have felt more rotten if I hadn't immediately received a BBim message from a friend, who requested that I donate money to charity on his birthday which will be 11 months away. I feel like I need support for my actions because I feel I'm in the wrong, but I know I am not.
I thought we were adults.