Gosh! What an article! I came across this article "This bed costs more than a new car", in the New Paper on 10th March 2007. The tag that promises you great, enduring sleep? S$75,000/-!! The advertisers and manufacturers are implying that the people who cannot afford such a bed are not sleeping well enough! What blatant advertising. !!
We all know that money can buy us books, but not education; money can buy us a house but not a home and definitely money can buy us a bed but not sleep even if our bed costs $75,000/-. If one has peace and contentment, one can sleep just as soundly on a $10/- mattress! I have been sleeping on my sealy posture bed for the past 19 years, and surprisingly it is still in reasonable wear and tear. At that time, I paid $790/- for it. Now that I am moving to my new little apartment, I thought of changing a bed and chanced to see one on display at Park Mall. I was attracted because this bed looked like a hospital bed where the head rest could be raised. I was shocked when the sales staff told me it cost $25,000! Hence, you can imagine my greater shock when I read the above article. The bed costs 3 times more!
I would never be able to bring myself to buy such an expensive bed. Somehow it does not seem right to bask in so much luxury. It will be hard to convince me that just because the bed is made of luxury materials, such as memory foam, silk, cashmere, lamb's wool and hand-tufted horse hair, I would have a beautiful and incredible sleep every night. I would not be able to sleep from thinking how while I am indulging myself with such finery, so many millions are out there dying of hunger and cold.
As a property agent I always tell people I am dealing with clients' sweat and blood money. It is such a heavy responsibility for clients put all their life savings into the property they live in or invest in. It is imperative that I exercise caution, integrity and responsibility when marketing or recomending the properties entrusted to me. I always tell people I need a good night sleep and I will not be able to sleep if I am guilt-ridden. Thank God that He has blessed me with this ability to sleep anywhere and everywhere... while having my hair done, in the bus, MRT and plane, at a boring concert, or sleeping on the mud floors up in the mountains at Nanglay Village in Nepal. A peaceful sleep is certainly more dependent on a clear conscience, simplicity in lifestyle, contentment and fulfilment.
Gan Chau
6 comments:
Totally agree. Well said :)
Hey Gan Chau,
I think resting is a state of mind, and being able to sleep well is much affected by your thoughts and what you do in the day.
While a good comfortable bed might be cosy to sleep in, I doubt I will pay that kind of price for a bed!
But then again, many of us are used to living in sub-optimal health and lifestyle, and do won't know what it is on "the other side" until we have given it a go, isn't it?
If I may ask... out of curiosity... what is "Gan Chau"? Is it a name? Is it a phrase? Is it a greeting?
I only know minimum Mandarin, so I'm quite lost on the meaning :p
Gan Chau means licorice, a sweet kind of herb.
Our surname Kam is Gan in Mandarin.
Papa said that if I were to become a writer in future, I should adopt Ganchau, a pen name as it signifies someone who gives healing and restoration in his articles. Good writing should be inspiring, thought provoking as as it is humorous.
Don't you think my papa is great?
He encouraged me to write even when I was in school... hence the number of prizes I won for essays and poems!!
How on earth one one justify the price of a $75,000 bed? A car... maybe.... but a bed? Made from what? wilk, memory foam (whatever that is.... a foam that remembers), some type of animal hair, etc. I pity the animals that had to sacrifice their fur and hair for our comfort.
My sealy posture bed is already very comfortable and in fact, I felt quite bad about having to pay $790 for a bed. But it pays off after all.... for 19 good years of usage!
The Lord Jesus did not even have a roof over His head when He was on earth. Yet we mortals not only want a roof over our head, but a $75,000/- bed to lie on! What would Jesus have to say? It is not possible for us to help all the poor in the world, but if each of us could do a little to help, the world would be a much happier place to live in. The needs of more people would have been met if there are less of us needing gold taps and $75,000 beds!!
Hi Gan Chau
I totally agree with you on the issue of whether good sleep requires an expensive bed. I too feel the ability to sleep is not so much influenced by the actual quality of the bed but more of our state of mind. If we are at peace with the world, we tend to sleep better as compared to when we let the troubles of the world burden our hearts.
I for one have experienced sleeping in army training areas where your bed is grass and some soil where one is digging the trenches. I have slept on safari beds and also on the floor in my own home in addition to my normal spring mattress. I realise good sleep comes from having a balanced life and not a $75,000 bed. Though I wouldn't mind trying the $75,000 bed just to see how it feels...hahah..
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