Ah, materialism. The universal language of “I need this, so I can finally be happy!” I can hear you tapping away on your brand-spankin’-new iPhone 13, or is it the iPhone 14 or 15 now? Look, I can hardly keep up.

Let’s wind the clock back a bit. There was a time when Betamax and VHS were the iPhones of yesteryears. My dad, a true cinephile without the fancy home theater, had to make do by borrowing from relatives or, get this, going to our neighbor’s house just to get his movie fix. We were a middle-class family, but you would’ve thought we were members of the thrift club the way my mom managed our finances. Basically, if it wasn’t vital for survival or school, we weren’t spending a dime on it.

But, oh, how I coveted those VHS players.

Lo and behold, the heavens heard my plea. Or more accurately, our overseas relatives did. Not one, not two, but three VHS players found their way into our humble home. You’d think we started a rental shop or something. But no, my dad got his cinematic dreams fulfilled, courtesy of generous kin who couldn’t stand the idea of him missing out on ‘The Terminator.’

Fast-forward to today, and what do we have? Cellphones. Fancy, ridiculously expensive, and virtually outdated in six months.

But here’s the kicker: the happiness these gadgets offer is as fleeting as my interest in last season’s Netflix “hit.” One day, I’m marveling at the slick design and impressive camera. The next, I’m scrolling through tech blogs, feeling that familiar itch for the next shiny object.

Oh, but the plot thickens. You see, I also battled with my husband over a drone, a vlogging camera, an action camera, and a Gimbal. My inner Spielberg was screaming for these gadgets. “Think of the cinematic masterpiece that is our life, honey!” I argued. Guess what? I won the argument and the war of gadgets. Drone, check. Vlogging and action cameras, check. Gimbal, double-check.

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And yet, here I am. Still feeling empty most of the time. Sure, the drone captures breathtaking views of the sky, the camera makes me look like a vlogging star, and the Gimbal keeps everything smooth as butter. But then what? Do these gizmos cuddle me at night? Do they whisper sweet nothings about mindfulness and inner peace? No, they sit there, inanimate objects of my transient affection.

My point is, we often invest so much in material things hoping they’d fill some existential void. But they don’t. They give you a hit of dopamine, sure, but it’s short-lived. Like eating chocolate but without the calories, or like yoga but without the spiritual enlightenment.

Long-lasting joy comes from things that don’t have a barcode. For me, it’s the deep stuff — yoga, meditation, holistic journeys, and Reiki Energy Healing. For you, it might be something else entirely. But it certainly won’t be something you can unbox.

So, go ahead, appreciate the material things for the comfort and convenience they bring. But don’t mistake them for the key to everlasting happiness. That, my friends, is a journey of a different sort. One that no next-day delivery can expedite.

Ah, the complexities of human emotions, right? Can’t package that in a neat little Lazada or Shopee box.