How Do You See Taxes in Life?

There are 2 things certain in life and it is death and taxes. Taxes is usually seen as evil and something that is a burden for everyone. If we have a choice to avoid it for sure the majority of us will be doing so. This is why multiple exemptions are being used and abused to ensure that everyone, especially institutions, will not pay taxes.

A higher tax might be implemented next year as the country's debt skyrocketed due to the pandemic and we in the Philippines see it as an additional expense that we need to shoulder But have you realized that we have what we called taxes in life?

In a quote from Seneca - a known person in Stoicism philosophy

>Nothing will ever befall me that I will receive with gloom or a bad disposition. I will pay my taxes gladly. Now, all the things which cause complaint or dread are like the taxes of life – things from which, my dear Lucilius, you should never hope from exemption or seek escape -  Moral Essays: Volume I De Providentia. De Constantia. De Ira. De Clementia

Taxes in life are the things that cause complaint or dread which we should never hope to be exempted or escape. Do you happen to know why?

Have you ever lost some sleep these past few days just to pursue your goal? Do you render extra hours at work to get extra pay on the side?

Or maybe, instead of you resting during your free days off you still hustle at a different side gig?

If you are a student, to memorize and pass the exams you spend your midnight trying to learn more and answering your modules?

What do you feel when doing such?

I am working in a Business Process Outsourcing company here in the Philippines for more than a decade now. The pay is good since the daily rate that was given to us is above the minimum standard that the government-mandated. Just to give a figure an entry-level representative may be offered around 16,000.00 PHP per month on their salary this is around $320.00 per month it may still vary as some accounts offer incentive premiums depending on the complexity of the process. Back when I started my initial salary is 12,000.00 PHP ($240.00) + 3,000.00 PHP as an attendance bonus plus other premium incentives ( this was the offer 10 years ago.)

But here's the catch, you will be working at night well there are some that offer a day schedule but very minimal. Usually, the work will start at 8:00 PM PH time and the closing hours would be around 2:00 AM PH time. Imagine yourself working during these hours you literally make the evening into nighttime. To cope with these schedules a ton of my colleagues drink coffee, energy drinks, etc to stay awake during work. I myself consume at least 2-3 cups of coffee in a day religiously ( till now) and what do we get?

Hyperacidity

Which sometimes leads to hospitalization if it worsens.

Aside from that if your schedule is at 12:00 midnight do you think it is safe in the streets of Metro Manila? Dogs and vagrants roam around and you are the only one awake walking in the dark alleys to get a ride.

Lastly, you will not be getting enough sleep daily. Sleeping in the morning and afternoon isn't the same as sleeping in the evening. There are too many distractions such as the sunlight, noises from the outside, and activities in your home.

But I gladly accept it because this is the price that I have to pay to get better pay. This is the life tax that I pay.

You may be a migrant worker, working outside the country. I have some friends in the crypto-verse that mentioned they have chosen such jobs because they can provide better compensation to their families. What do they pay?

They pay for the lost hours that they can be with their families.

I believe that working overseas to provide for yourself and your family is a noble job. As they try to endure being away from their loved ones for too long. I myself, can't imagine being away from my wife and daughter for an extended period and this is why I hustle hard.

When we start to accept and pay them with gladness we will see our hardships in a different perspective. Though at times I wish that if they can be skipped why not this is the price that we need to pay to get to where we want to be. The journey is long and thorny but you must endure to get there!

All images used are from Unsplash.com