Anyone who has come from immigrant parents (or parents moving up from one social class to another; lower-to-middle) will have heard this persistent narrative: “We came here,” (or worked so hard) “in order to give you a better life.” But what does this better life really equate to? Does it mean “so you can slave over more money in order to give the next-generation a better life, as well”?

No, a better life really equates to more options. Unfortunately, most of us in the West have construed our own understanding of what a better life really means as to being ‘the seeking out of more money.’  This is a grave misunderstanding. What good is ‘more money’ if you don't have the comprehension or the know-how to use it more effectively? One can still be rich and poor — poor in spirit, and even in overspending.

Osho once said: In India, it is a commonly held conception that “What use is satiating the mind’s hunger, if the stomach is hungry?”

We have become so confused in our learning by solely observing what our parent’s have done; leaving very little room for us to learn for ourselves. We’ve become so dumbfounded by our naive belief that “a better life is the acquiring of more money” that we have entirely forgotten about our second source of hunger: the mind.

Most of us in this country are fortunate enough to have enough food, enough shelter, and I believe that that is why we are beginning to see the re-emergence and push towards more spirituality — towards more presence in our daily lives. We, as a privileged society, are slowly beginning to wake up to the idea that a “better life” doesn’t equate to satiating our base needs, but our higher ones, instead. 

So, what do YOU want to do with your life? What is it that makes you passionate to wake up in the morning? Our parents have worked hard long enough; now it's time for you to work hard for what you really want...