KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES, AND EVERYTHING ELSE IN-BETWEEN.

In today's culture of consumerism, success is measured in terms of what you have, against what you do not have but may have soon, and what you do not have and may never have.
To be seen as a successful family, you must:-

• Have organised, at least, one owanbeish party
• Live in a highbrow area of town
• You and your spouse must each have, at least, a car (not moto)
• Have wardrobes filled with designer clothes and accessories
• Be able to afford having your children in very expensive schools (even if they learn next to nothing)
• Maintain household staff.

But the question is, can we no longer measure success in terms of contentment and happiness?

We have become a set of people who now reach for things way beyond us. Not because we need them, but because we want to be part of the 'It' set.
Our family values have been damaged and somewhat forgotten in the rat race, trying to keep up with societal expectations. Children recognise their parents but do not know them. Parents are aware that their DNAs are in their children but, apart from knowing for sure that they named their kids, there is a disconnect between the children and their parents. We are slowly, but surely killing ourselves with work to be able to afford luxuries we cannot enjoy.
Somehow, we have forgotten that life is not like what is depicted in glamour magazines. Rather it is a continual struggle to make our lives and the lives of those around us better, not necessarily materially. And in seeking what we cannot afford, we neglect those who we are supposed to love and care for. Every family cannot be the same. We are all different and unique, and our uniqueness is necessary to spice up the drabness of our lives.

Unfortunately, we are now a Stepford community.

P.S. Say a prayer for the Orekoya children who were kidnapped on 8th April, 2015. We can only hope that they are safe.