A friend just bought a house with a large backyard for almost 3 million AUD. My first reaction was envy. I also want my son to be able to run around freely in a big backyard. It looks so fun in the video.
Our apartment cost just one-eighth of that. Of course, it has only one-eighth of the area. No private backyard. Indeed, no backyard at all.
But we don’t need one.
Just outside our home, we have lots of parks nearby, each with its own playground. There are also plenty of community tables around, like the one I’m sitting on now.
If someone comes and want to sit next to me, I have to share the table, of course. After all, it’s not in my private backyard. I just happen to have access to it because I live nearby. Many people pass by as I’m writing — they make me self-aware, scared that they will read my writing. But when I look at them, they’re not looking at me. Their mobile phones are much more interesting.
The benefit of amenities is real. It ranges from greenery, tables, seats, children’s playgrounds, as well as access to shopping. They cost a lot to build. Hence, they’re much more common in densely populated areas.
I know that despite my conscious choice, I would feel envy again the next time I heard someone else bought a bigger property than mine. I always do.
When that happens, hopefully, I can re-read this post to remind me to want what I already have.