The question of "how much savings do people have when they reach middle age?" is like an invisible whip, whipping my back from time to time, making me, a post-70s generation who is about to enter the year of sixties, fall into deep self-doubt.
My name is Wang Jianguo, a post-70s man who is too ordinary to be ordinary, about to enter the sixth decade of his life, but he can only hold a mere 60,000 yuan in savings, standing at the crossroads of life, looking at the peers around him who seem to be living more nourishing than me, and my heart is mixed.
On that day, old friends got together, and after three rounds of drinking, the topic naturally slipped to the sensitive area of "money". "Lao Wang, I heard that your son is getting married, have you bought a house?" Lao Li asked casually while picking his teeth. My heart tightened, and I squeezed out a wry smile: "I'm worried, the down payment is still a big difference." Before the words fell, Lao Zhao patted me on the shoulder, with a little drunkenness: "Lao Wang, you have to work harder, at our age, we don't have a deposit of 1.8 million, how dare we say that we live a stable life." ”
Their words pierced my heart like needles, and I looked down at the wine glass in my hand, which was shaking not an amber liquid, but my poor sixty thousand deposits, and endless worries about the future. Am I really the worst post-70s generation?
When I got home, my wife Xiulan was sewing her son's old shirt under the lamp, and when she saw my solemn face, she asked with concern, "What's wrong?
Xiulan put down the needle and thread in her hand, held my rough hand, and her eyes flashed with determination: "Lao Wang, life is for yourself, not for others to compare." Have you forgotten how we got all this way?"
Yes, isn't our life a realistic version of emotional drama with ups and downs?
At the end of the 80s of the last century, when Xiulan and I first got married, we lived in a building assigned by the unit, with a bed, a TV, and a set of old furniture, which was all the belongings. At that time, our monthly salary added up to less than 200 yuan, and there was not much left except for daily expenses.
But even so, we still save 10 dollars a month without moving. Xiulan often said: "These ten yuan is the hope for the future of the two of us." ”
In the early 90s, when the wave of market economy swept across the country, I quit my stable job and joined the business world and started a small commodity wholesale. During those days, she got up early and was greedy for darkness, rain or shine, while Xiulan took care of the elderly and children at home and took care of housework. Although it was hard work, watching the number on the passbook slowly grow, our hearts were full of anticipation.
However, a wrong investment decision made us almost nothing, and during that time, we were stretched thin, and even relied on pawning the family's belongings to survive.
Xiulan's words brought me back to reality, and she continued: "But you have found a new job, although the income is not high, but it is stable. I set up a breakfast stall, and we worked together to not only pay off our debts, but also to provide for our son to finish college. The 60,000 yuan is what we have saved through decades of ups and downs, and behind it is our sweat, tears, and dedication and love for life. ”
I listened to Xiulan's words, and my heart was mixed. Yes, isn't this 60,000 yuan a mark of our life, isn't it our perseverance and struggle against life? Although it is small, it is as heavy as a thousand pounds.
The next day, I came to the park alone, looking at the dancing aunts in the square, the grandfathers walking the birds, their smiles were bright, and I couldn't see the trouble caused by the amount of deposits. Suddenly, I understood that the happiness of life does not depend on the amount of savings, but on whether the heart is rich, whether it cherishes and appreciates everything it has.
Although I only have 60,000 yuan in deposit. But I want to say that these 60,000 yuan was earned by my wife and I with half a lifetime of hard work, which witnessed our love, family affection, and also carried our persistence and hope. Maybe in the eyes of others, I am the 'worst' one, but in my own world, I live a down-to-earth and contented life.
Life is never a race about the amount of savings, but to feel every moment with your heart, cherish the people around you, and face every challenge with tenacity. ”
At this moment, I sit in front of the window, looking at the silent night, and my heart is peaceful. I'm still the post-70s generation with only 60,000 savings, but I no longer feel like the worst one.
Because I know that the value of life does not lie in the external label, but in the abundance and tenacity of the heart. As long as there is love, hope, and deep attachment to life in our hearts, then no matter how much we save, we can live our own wonderful life.