lessons to learn

everyone is our life teacher.

During the team lunch, our 34 year-old engineering manager was asked about the million dollar home he bought two weeks ago. A humble and low-key person he is.

Here are some of his thoughts for sharing (in blue):

- It's a good area with a number of good schools there. There's a national park behind our backyard, nice neighbourhood, peaceful environment. 

- I was thinking if I never do it now at this age, it would get harder in the future. I'd probably not buy anything in the end. It's now or never.

- The key is to start young. 

- I started with a one-bedder before I sold it for a small house. And then I sold the small house for this one, which I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.

I couldn't agree more with him.
He has moved from a mediocre suburb to a hippy upbeat suburb, and now to a prestigious suburb in Sydney's north, at the same time every time he moved, the size got bigger.
Start small and low, one day you'll get somewhere.

It's like how snowballs are made. We start from a mini palm-sized snowball and roll it until it gets to the size we want and to where we want to place it.  

Many youngsters these days would eliminate this 'rolling' process because they have their parents to pay for the big snowball located readily at where they want it to be.
Not everyone is born with such luck, including myself. Hehe.

The size, location, and other tangibles of the house may impress people for a bit but it's the stories of how you get there and what you've been through before getting there that will make a lasting impression.

While we were all digesting his words, there were a few seconds of silence till he said:

Funny how our priorities change over time.

Priorities - something I've been thinking about quite often recently.

When that sentence was uttered; if we were animation characters, he would be the noble psychic and I'm the ordinary girl with popping eyes and standing hair like Can he read my mind?!?! Haha.

Back then, we bought the house in Annandale because we wanted to live near the local cafes, the bars, somewhere not too far from the city. But after the kids came, Nah...who cares about cafes anymore. Lol. We just move on..... 

Move On - something which puts me at where I am today - new job, new place, new friends...

Priorities gives us a better sense of purpose and direction.
Move On gives us the courage to leave our existing state behind.

Funny how the things he randomly talked about kinda hit the right spots like in an acupuncture therapy.

Apart from his humble and soft-spoken personalities, another thing I admire about him is that he drives a uber old Toyota-Whatever (don't even know which model it is - must be at least 20 years old) which belongs to his mum-in-law. I sat in the backseat of the car, with biscuit crumbs all over the seat and bottom. It's window controls are broken and the back tyre suspension gives a freaking creaking noise. For a moment I thought when we get back to the office, there might be only 3 tyres left. Lol.

How many people in their late 20's to early 30's would consider driving a 'scrap metal' on the road while investing on assets?
Most would rather drive a fancy European car while renting in expensive suburbs.

It's not the old car which impresses me. It's his humbleness and mentality to plan ahead.
A driver of a $1000 borrowed car, owns a million dollar home in Pymble, and stays humble.

This is what makes a lasting impression.