Thirty years ago, I stepped into the door of philately, saving money every year to collect my favorite stamps, fantasizing that one day I would get rich by collecting stamps and buy a car and a house.
Now because there are no young people to take over, all these stamps of mine are rotten at home, and they have become worthless, and my dreams have been shattered for many years.
In the long river of years, everyone's life is like a unique script, full of ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and only they know the taste.
My philatelic story is made up of these small stamps, which have witnessed my change, from the initial enthusiasm to the current dismal end.
1990 was a time of hope.
Originated from the popularity of monkey tickets in the market, people began to show an almost fanatical pursuit of this kind of small card that hides the world between square inches.
At that time, I was full of curiosity and love for everything in the world. By chance, I came across an introduction to philately in a magazine.
Those colorful stamps with different patterns seemed to open a window in my heart in an instant, allowing me to see a whole new world.
Together, there are also my desires and dreams of getting rich.
Since then, I have embarked on a long journey of philately. Whenever there is a new stamp issue, I always come to the post office early to snap up those limited edition treasures.
Every year, the zodiac stamps are the objects I focus on purchasing. Once I receive the stamps I like, I carefully place them in the philatelic book.
Every time I flip through it, I feel like I am in a dialogue with history, feeling the stories and emotions behind those stamps.
Of course, in addition to appreciation, I hope that these stamps can skyrocket in the future and change hands for a good price.
I don't know how to do business, and I have no hope of being rich and expensive, so I hope for these stamps when I buy a car and a house.
Over the years, my philatelic albums have grown thicker and thicker, and each one carries my endless memories and emotions. Whenever a friend visits, I proudly pull out my stamp album.
Every admiration and envy from my friends made me more determined to continue collecting stamps.
However, as time went on, I gradually found that my passion for philately was slowly fading.
The trivialities of life and the stress of work make it difficult for me to take care of the stamps that were once treasured.
I began to ignore the post office announcements and missed the issue of new stamps. The philatelic albums that I once cherished were gradually covered in dust and no one cared for them.
Until one day, I accidentally opened those dusty stamp albums, and I was stunned by what I saw.
The stamps that were once colourful have now faded and lost their former brilliance.
And those limited-edition treasures that I used to be proud of have also become worthless due to the passage of time.
I realized that young people today have become different from us. They have new ideas and a completely different perspective on things than our generation.
When it comes to investing and collecting, their perception is very different from ours.
Stamps, for our generation, not only have the value of treasure and investment, but also carry an important witness of our past life, and are the carrier of history.
stamps, which have incomparable human value.
But for young people, they were born and grew up in the new era, and for stamps, they have no perception at all, and they don't have any emotional ties to connect to.
In their minds, stamps are just prints, which can be printed indefinitely, so they think that such things are worthless, or even worthless.
On the contrary, they are more optimistic about virtual currencies such as bitcoin and virtual investment products such as foreign exchange and stocks.
Even if these things are ethereal, invisible, and intangible, they can't discourage their enthusiasm for investing.
At that moment, I felt unprecedented loss and pain.
Those stamps that once accompanied me through countless days and nights have now become worthless waste paper, and have become a joke in the eyes of young people!
I began to reflect on my philatelic journey, what it started for, and why it got to where it is today.
I gradually realized that stamp collecting should be a pleasure and hobby, rather than an investment, an investment behavior that pours out the desire for wealth.
In order to collect stamps with so-called concepts, scarcity and investment narratives, I have neglected my inner feelings and the meaning of stamp collecting itself.
Thinking about this, when I faced these waste stamps again, I really understood that the value of philately is not the value of the stamps themselves, but the joy and memories it brings us.
This painful lesson made me deeply reflect on my way of life and attitude towards things.
I began to re-examine my life and rediscover the things that had made me happy.
I realized that life should not be bound by material pursuits, but should focus on inner feelings and experiences.
Today, although my philatelic albums have lost their former luster, they are still an integral part of my life. They have witnessed my growth and changes, and they have also made me cherish my current life even more.
I will put them in a prominent position and remind myself not to forget my passions and pursuits.
At the same time, it also reminds yourself to keep a normal heart and not be deceived by material temptations.
Although the golden age of philately is over, it has left me with endless thoughts and inspirations.
In the days to come, I will continue to look for those things that truly make me happy and make my life more fulfilling and beautiful.
And those stamps that have accompanied me through the wind and rain will forever remain in my memory and become an indelible mark on my life path.
As for whether it's worth the money or not, it doesn't matter anymore.