I recently posted the picture attached on this post and someone said, Eh, you drive a UAS car? On my public wall. Not in a bad way and I thought I need to share my experiences even more.
Again recently, I was in the company of my son as I meet up with someone I know. He asked me why I don’t buy a brand new car and sell my old car according to him.
In a conversation without thinking my son was paying attention, I shared with him a bit of my story. I told him, deep within me like many other people, we desire these things as well.
Much as we have these desires, we have choices to make and all the choices we make can either build us to break us as a people. Firm decision making can be a very positive thing in anybody’s life.
Wapi, Amos, you are a mizer( dont worry about spelling, it’s not an English class) and I don’t think you even desire to drive a brand new car. Why don’t you believe? Why do I gain telling you lies? I ask him! True, I work crazy hard but still….
I tell him, creation of wealth is a very tough process unless one is stealing and there is very little to steal in Uganda. It’s a very small economy though with a lot of potential but no one eats potential. That’s why a very small % has access to a tax payers’ money. Rest of us have to work crazy hard, real hard.
As we chatted, I told him looking after what you have well has a positive knock-on effect during the process of wealth creation. As one grows wiser, they realize they can only eat a certain portion of food, wear one shirt at a time, one trouser at a time, sleep in one bed at time.
Too many or too much of any can be a sign of greed. Why have 30 shirts for example? 50 pair of shoes? 5 cars and you are alone or a small family? That could be capital of say usd 50 by 30 shirts sitting idle on shelves. You could be denying others employment opportunity, very noble cause. It could primitive acquisition.
Is creation of wealth then bad? Not at all. Beyond your basics, the rest of the resources entrusted to you is mainly for public good though not necessarily for wasting. When you employ one extra person for example, it’s good for the public.
Anyways, I tell this buddy, I saved on 3 occasions for a brand new car, like a nice brand new land cruiser. I went to Toyota each time, touched the cars even then walked out and bought a property each time and when I look back today, I actually shake. They were all great decisions and you can see, we all have our struggles.
While in London for a business trip 9 years ago, my buddy Isaiah Rembo Langa showed me a car I could buy affordably. It was 10years old then. It’s 19 years old now but in top condition. Well, someday God willing, I might buy one just not sure it will be a source of happiness. Am happy about the decisions I have made so far.
My son was shocked about this conversation to date. Your dad thinks through stuff; my wife tells him. I overheard him tell his mom the story. Children also struggle with these kind of thoughts. His classmates are driven super cars, so they wonder what went wrong with their dad. It’s very okay.
Happiness comes as a result of obligations fulfilled.
Amos Wekesa
