I Fell In Love With A MacBook On A Monday

In my younger and less advanced years, while in uni, there was nothing I wanted more than a MacBook. As opposed to studying, I’d spend most of my free time watching MacBook reviews and comparisons videos on YouTube. Night-in till day break. I was obsessed, I was in love, and most assuredly, I was discontent.

I had a decent enough computer at the time. As a matter of fact, the computer I owned cost as much as a MacBook Air but I couldn’t see its value because my heart was elsewhere. I’d download these images of MacBooks and have them up as my desktop background and I’ll spend countless hours daydreaming about owning one someday. At some point I made a futile attempt at selling my computer because I hated everything about it.

But you see, in all of these; in the midst of my ungrateful nature, in the middle of my discontent heart, right there in my covetousness, many a people complimented the computer I had. They’ll tell me just how beautiful it was or how powerful the processor could be. One look and it’s raining praises, but none of these fazed me.

My heart was focused on something else, something that wasn’t mine to own at the time. All the while, I was unhappy with what I had. I wanted more and I was convinced getting the new shiny MacBook will bring me that happiness. Well, I never got a MacBook all through uni.

This is how most of our lives are. We go through life looking at the next best thing, trying to get the new upgrade while ignoring what’s in our hands. We hope the new and flashy will give us a fresh dose of happiness. And when it’s no longer new and flashy, we go for the upgrade and the next upgrade and the next.

More often than not, we think material things bring joy to us. The truth is they bring happiness, and happiness is ephemeral. It’s short lived, it’s almost like a burst. It’s here now, for this moment, and tomorrow it’s gone.

Happiness is that thing you have to chase every single time and day, and we seek these bursts of happiness in not just MacBooks, but in our jobs, in the people we meet, the relationships we have, and I dare say the food we eat.

All through the years where I harbored my unhealthy desire to own a MacBook, I assumed everything in my life would be 10x better once I finally had one. I thought I’d be more respected amongst my peers. I imagined people would think more highly of me because I owned one. Well, though these might, or might not be true with the way I was perceived, the most troubling fact would be me basing my self worth and importance on things.

Now, a couple years later, I own a MacBook. And not just any MacBook, I own the latest one. I also own one of those Apple phones, and you want to know something? It doesn’t bring me any bit of happiness.

I’m inspired to write this at 4am on a cold Monday morning because I just thought of upgrading to a better iPhone. I’m older, and wiser, and I know that though an upgrade might bring a burst of happiness, happiness is not what I seek. I seek a deeper feeling, I seek joy.

I choose joy and not happiness. Joy is contagious, joy is everlasting, joy doesn’t come in bursts. Joy is not ephemeral. Joy heals depression, joy heals sadness. Joy is the answer to a confused heart.

I reckon the overarching question on your mind might be, “how can one be joyful?” Where does joy reside? Truth is, joy comes not from the east nor the west. Joy cannot be purchased for a fee. Joy cannot be bargained upon or negotiated. Joy comes not from what we see, or own, or control. Anything which cannot be purchased, or earned, or bargained upon, is beyond human capacity to provide. Like the air we breathe per time. It comes from something far higher than us. Something we have no control over. Joy comes from the creator of the universe.

It’s okay if you have a case against whom the universe creator might be. That’s not the purpose of this literary experience. As a matter of factual reasoning, it’s okay if you close this essay at this juncture.

However, if you care to read on, I’d like to introduce you to the one who gives joy and peace beyond human understanding. He has a name, He has a personality, He sees all, hears all, and understands all. His name is Jesus.

Jesus gives joy far beyond what we can understand. All you have to do is believe and accept Him. Joy comes freely with Him, and you don’t even have to pay a dime. You don’t have to go anywhere cause He’s right there with you. He’s right there in the pain, in the hurt, in the storm. He’s right there in the dissatisfaction, in the discontent, in the discomfort.

I fell in love with a MacBook on a Monday morning, but that was all. By noon, I had become dissatisfied with my new lover. The joy that comes from knowing Jesus found me in my weakness, made me witness His undying love, and keeps it going every day of the week, circumstances notwithstanding.