My Life Without Money
At the age of 54, Heidemarie Schwermer, a German woman, gave up her job as a psychotherapist （心理咨询师）, gave away all her money and her flat and threw away her credit cards.
It all began as a one-year experiment. In her home city of Dortmund she set up an
"exchanging circle" where people exchange services without using money, for example, a haircut for a maths class. But when the year ended she continued and has not used money since then.
At first she house-sat for friends who were on holiday. She stayed in their houses in return for watering the plants and looking after their animals. She also "works" as a psychotherapist. "Sometimes they give me something in return, but not always；Heidemarie says. "A lot of people who know me understand what I'm doing and want to help me. When I need a bus ticket, for example, or a new tube of toothpaste, I think, ‘Who can I ask? ' If I want to go to the cinema, I might offer to look after somebody's children for the afternoon.
It is one of the mistakes of our society that most people do something they don't like just to earn money and spend it on things they don't need. Many people judge you according to how much you earn. In my opinion, all jobs are equally important. That's my message."
|
A. What can I give them in return? B. So what did I do with all my savings? C. I have never given up my dream although I don't have a job now. D. To prove that this could work she decided to give up using money for a year. E. You may not earn a lot of money, but you may be worth a lot as a person. F. Before I treated very wealthy people, but now I help anyone who needs it. G. Today, apart from a few clothes and a few personal belongings, she doesn't own anything. |
