I want it all

By Randy Butler
HCP columnist

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking with my brother on the phone. We were discussing Christmas and what to buy for our grandkids. Eventually, the conversation turned to what they might buy for us. 

He then asked me, “Is there anything you want that you don’t already have?”

It didn’t take long for me to answer. No, there really isn’t anything I want that I don’t already have. There may be things I would consider someday, but honestly, I want nothing.

That got me thinking: Why is that? Is it an age thing, where I’ve had enough time to accumulate the things I want? Or maybe I’ve reached a point in life where the financial burdens have passed, and I can buy things when I want them. Or perhaps I’m simply content with what I have… and what I don’t.

For all the Queen fans reading this (and I can’t imagine there are many who aren’t), I’m reminded of one of their songs, "I Want It All:" It ain’t much I’m asking, got to find me a future, move out of my way. I want it all. I want it now.

As hard as it is to admit, I think that mindset applies to most of us. We don’t like to wait for anything. We want our desires fulfilled right now. Waiting until we earn or save the money often isn’t even part of the equation anymore. And this seems just as true for children as it is for adults.

When I was a kid, we had one TV in the house with three channels, some of them still in black and white. WXIX came along later, mostly showing kids’ programs, which was a pretty big deal for children of the 1970s.

The shows we loved aired once a year, and that was it. We knew when they were coming thanks to the TV Guide that every household had. There were no recordings of shows or movies to watch later. Netflix – or anything remotely close to the conveniences we have today – didn’t exist. And you know what? That was fine, because we had nothing better to compare it to.

Like most boys back then, we played ball at Shaffer Park. I wanted a catcher’s mitt so badly I could taste it. My parents loved the idea of me having one, with one small catch – I had to purchase it myself. And I did.

That glove meant everything to me at the time. Chuck Emery ran a local sports supply store here in Hillsboro called F & F Sporting Goods. He helped me get the glove, which at the time had an enormous price tag of $50. It took me most of a year to save up, mowing yards and baling hay to pay for it. 

Today, my grandson has that glove and has even used it at the park for his own games.

Waiting for the things we cherish makes us appreciate them more. At least, it did for me.

Randy Butler is a local real estate professional and a columnist for The Highland County Press.