Why do you work so hard to get what you don't even want?

The day is short, the night is long.

Why do we work so hard to get what we don’t even want?

We work so hard to get ahead of the game; work half our lives until we’ve won. And then one day, we sit at the edge of our bed and think: Lord what have I done?

The day is short, the night is long.

Why do we work so hard to get what we don’t even want?

Man in a suit, comes home and kisses his babies goodbye. Daddy’s gotta go on a trip honey, oh no don’t you cry. He’s gone for a week and then he’s home for a day. Well, pretty soon the babies won’t cry when daddy’s gone away.

The day is short, the night is long.

Why do you work so hard to get what you don’t even want?

You know we go to the mall and we go from store to store, yeah. Everybody seems to be wasting time until death walks through the door. And then you look at all your merchandise and you see. We’ve paid too high a price, you’ll see....

The day is short, the night is long.

Why do you work so hard to get what you don’t even want?
Why do you work so hard to get what you don’t even want?

Jearlyn Steele.


This is just a timely song, heard in a film called "A Prairie Home Companion" which reminded me how often we replace things we already have with things that do the same job, but "better". This endless upgrade cycle, often motivated by the need to impress "other people" is often at the root of our financial problems or shortfalls.

I know that I have been "victim" to the desire of always wanting something better, working hard at work to earn money, selling flesh, bone and time and then rushing out to quickly dispose of that paycheck on the latest temporary, fizzy gizmo.

So..

Why do we work so hard to get what we don't even want?