By Leong Anna
‘’Billion- dollar girl’’ wannabe, Candice forever craves for all kinds of luxury products – from branded handbags and smartphones to the latest model of iPad. Yes, and everything branded!
Since young, she has always dreamt of living in a big mansion, with several maids to do all the household chores. Her house has to be designed by a professional interior designer. She wants to eat sumptuous meals everyday.
She is what we call the typical ‘’material’’ girl, but that never bothered her even a bit.
One day, she asked her father buy her an Apple iPad.
“Please,’’ she pleaded.
‘’Sweetie, I am sorry. We don’t have much money to buy it for you. However, I will get you a tablet instead,’’ her father replied. “That’s more affordable than the iPad.”
Still sulking, Candice threw a tantrum. ‘’Daddy, why don’t you like to buy luxury product?’’
Her father patiently explained: ‘’Luxury products are not important in our life. Money can’t buy happiness. Although you buy a branded handbag, it will also get tattered one day. Honestly, branded product and non-branded products are different in only one aspect and that is the price of the product. Branded product is more expensive than non-branded product because of the publicity and advertising costs.”
However, that advice did not sink in. Candice continues to look for the branded products in some of the online shopping application such as Shopee or Lazada. She also likes to watch unboxing videos on YouTube to watch how some YouTubers show off their branded products. She always imagines herself walking snobbishly and holding a branded handbag or wearing something trendy in public places. Due to her strong self-gratification, she could not hold back her strong desire to buy her favourite iPad.
One morning, while her daddy was away at work, she secretly used her father’s credit card to buy her favourite iPad from the online shopping app. The next day, Candice’s father received a credit card notification. It was stated that an amount of RM 3000 had been used. Daddy was suspicious that Candice had used his credit card without his permission to buy things online.
Daddy went to Candice’s room and started asking her. “Girl, I want you to tell me the truth,” he said. “I want to know if you had used my credit card to purchase the iPad. If it was not you, I will have to lodge a police report and the police will be investigating.”
That stunned Candice for a moment. Finally, she told him the whole truth about the credit card.
With tears in her eyes and trembling voice, Candice apologised, “Sorry, daddy. I wanted to have the Apple iPad so much that I couldn’t help myself but to steal your credit card to buy it online.”
“Candice, you may think that having an iPad is essential. But, I believe that as you grow older, you’ll realise that worldly materials won’t give us true happiness,” said her Daddy firmly.
“Yes, Daddy, I feel so bad about what I have done,” sobbed Candice, while hugging her daddy.
“You should feel bad about it but never do such things ever again, do you understand?” Daddy said, gently. “I forgive you, Candice but let’s pray to God that He will help you to learn how to find true happiness by trusting and obeying Him.”
Both Candice and her daddy knelt down to pray, “Dear Heavenly Father, we pray that you will help us to be grateful with what You have given us. Help us to find true happiness by trusting and obeying You. Like what Luke 12:15 says, help us to be on guard against all kinds of greed and to bear in our mind that life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Since then, Candice made a resolution to watch lesser her favourite YouTube videos on unboxing branded products.
She started to find other products which have compatible features with the branded ones. Candice is now a “non-material” girl in the making.
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