Coffee Talk

 Two needy Indonesian men were convicted in Singapore last week for selling their kidneys.  (^*link to article below) 

The sentences coincided with India’s announcement of pending amendments to her Transplantation of Human Organ Act.  In future, foreign transplant patients will have to source for donors in their own country, with proof that the donor is a relative. (^**link to article below) 

In an unrelated story, a 19-year old student in Minnesota made a mockery of the land of the free by offering his vote for sale on eBay. (^***link to article below) 

These stories, or rather the backgrounds to these stories - the wealthy but desperate seeking a new lease of life, and a man attempting to sell away his freedom of choice (of government) - remind us that really, there are limits to what money can buy.   

That the public finds them unethical reveals that deep down inside, people do recognize that certain things are simply not commodities that can be exchanged with money. 

In fact, the best things in life are always free, although ironically, they can be costly. 

Love, for example.  And friendship.  If a price tag is involved, that relationship is probably one anybody can do without.  On the other hand, relationships demand commitment.  That, many miscalculate, is an opportunity cost to the pursuit of their career, or their other indulgences.  Or money. 

It’s the same with health.  Again, while health is free to a person who is well, it requires that he lived a certain lifestyle that may be contrary to his preferred routine. 

Freedom, peace of mind, a good night’s sleep and innocence are all examples of the best things in life that money cannot buy.   

In this modern day, we are constantly bombarded with the latest and greatest possessions the various media insist we must own.  Layer upon layer, these messages bury away man’s instincts about what truly are invaluable. 

It serves us well to pause, list, count, and enjoy these blessings - especially those we did not pay for with money.  Political stability?  Clean air?  How about the absence of pain or discomfort? 

For it takes only one unexpected turn of events to rob a person of one such blessing, and only then does he realize how very dearly he misses what he had always used to have.  But sadly by then, no amount of money may ever redeem that blessing again. 

^*  http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080703/tap-singapore-organs-c3bb44c.html

^** http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20080705/814/tnl-to-curb-organ-trade-health-ministry_1.html

^***http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/05/us/05vote.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Tags: thoughts, religion and philosophy, Spititual Reflection //