Quora | What is the greatest par

Farimah Fiddy, studied at Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Journalism,
Updated Mon

160.9k Views · 3.5k Upvotes

My ex-husband and I started out much like many other young couples.

We each had a low-paying job, no savings, no car (we occasionally borrowed our neighbour's,) no financial windfalls from parents or dead grandparents, and we rented a cheap apartment from a little old lady. We didn't even have a wedding or a honeymoon.

We were incredibly happy.

Eventually, we took some risks, quitting our jobs and starting a business partnership. We were a well-oiled machine. We worked hard, and by the time we reached our early forties, we owned three impressive properties in desirable locations, two of them mortgage-free.

On top of this, the money kept rolling in, and we wanted for nothing. The future looked sewn up.

I won't lie and say that the financial security made us miserable. It didn't. We felt proud of all that we'd achieved, together, with no help from anyone (literally.) But, I'd say it made us complacent and bored. Especially with our relationship. Sadly, (after trying many ways to overcome this) we divorced.

Working toward a goal is fantastic. Conquering the goal is problematic.

Because, unless your energies then divert to something else, you're just a hamster on a wheel, going nowhere and not feeling much.

▌VOCABULARY:

• windfall: n. 被风吹落的果子(尤指苹果), 横财: I did not expect this windfall, said the unidentified man.“我没想到会得到这笔意外之财”，这位未透露身份的老兄说。
• partnership: n. 伙伴关系, 合伙人身份；
• desirable: worth having; to be wished for 值得有的; 想望的; 称心的; 合意的: a desirable residence, solution 称心的住所、解决方法；
• mortgage: agreement in which money is lent by a building society, bank, etc for buying a house or other property, the property being the security 抵押；
• on top of sth/sb: (a) over or above sth/sb 在某物[某人]的上方或上边；(b) in addition to sth 加在某事物上；(c) (infml 口) very close to sth 紧接着某事, 紧靠着某物；
• sew up: (esp passive 尤用於被动语态) (infml 口) arrange sth; settle sth 安排或解决某事: sew up a deal, etc 安排交易等；
• literally: adv. 逐字地, 照字面地；确实地, 真正地；
• complacent: (usu derog 通常作贬义) calmly satisfied with oneself, one's work, etc 自满的; 自鸣得意的: a complacent smile, manner, tone of voice 自满的微笑、姿态、声调；
• problematic: (also problematical) adj. <1>difficult to deal with or to understand 难处理的; 难了解的; 成问题的; 疑难的；<2>(esp of a result) that cannot be foreseen; doubtful or questionable （尤指结果）难以预料的; 有疑问的; 令人不解的；
• hamster: n. small rat-like rodent kept as a pet, with pouches in its cheeks for carrying grain 仓鼠（供玩赏的一种小鼠, 有颊囊可携谷粒）