53 responses to “Price of a penthouse”

1. So rich in meanings

   • Thank you 🙂

2. A lovely story. To turn the misfortune of redundancy into such a positive experience is a great plot, and asks the question “Wouldn’t YOU rather be living a simpler and less stressed life?”

   • I think many of us realize that we hoard to many things… but still we go on.

3. Yes… once we have all that stuff, we have to keep working harder to keep said stuff then have no time to enjoy it. Now I have George Carlin’s monologue on my mind!

   • Brilliant… a house is just a box for stuff.

     • 😁

4. Fortunes do change very quickly. I am glad they don’t miss the penthouse.

   • I think you might miss the house.. .but not the cost.

5. A simpler life definitely has its joys. I enjoyed this vignette, Bjorn.

   • Thank you.. telling flash stories is a great way to tune your skills

6. You are a wonderful storyteller, Björn! With just a few sentences you set the entire arc of these two lives — and left me wondering how I might simplify mine. (Though I’ll never have a penthouse, and very much hope to never be homeless …)
   Beautiful writing!

   • I think most of us live simple enough… but maybe it takes disasters to set priorities

7. I hope they create new music, rabbit stew lovely

   • I think you can create a lot with little… we need to do it more.

8. Very nicely told. From riches to rags with no regret.

   • Exactly … no regrets

9. I’m not entirely sure that poverty is so romantic, but I loved the thrust of the story

   • I think poverty sucks, but so do stress and hoarding stuff… maybe there’s a middle way.

10. My husband and I just sold off everything, bought a second hand motor home and plan to reinvent our lives. And, no, we don’t miss the mansion on the hill overlooking the city with all its bills and taxes and the rat race of life. We are rediscovering each other under the stars, amongst the pines, and eventually in ever-changing landscapes.

    • Great for you, myself we have not dared to do anything like that, but vacations is a simple life for us.

11. It’s all a trade off. The tent it great until the snow gets deep.

    • Oh yes, maybe there will be a shack with a warm stove then.

12. We been rich and we been poor. When poor (like right now) we find a lot more time to be together and we enjoy that immensely. Don’t get me wrong, you need money to buy food and basics. But money does not buy happiness.

    • Money is something that can create both comfort and misery… maybe you need just the right amount

13. Life is so much more pleasurable without the stress-factor .Also, I like the positive attitude of your characters .
    Great story , Bjorn.

    • I think with a positive attitude they will find a new and moderate balance.

14. Sometimes it’s great when the relentless cycle of work-sleep-work stops. Good one.

    • I think we need to find at least a breather… for me this is a vacation in a way

15. A great reminder that there is more to life than stuff. Nice writing.

    • Stuff needs taking care of, adding to the stress

16. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to just pack it all in and live a simpler life.

17. How the mighty have fallen. I would prefer a campsite anyway. All those midget bites, the scent of burning wood, those flames… So mesmerising.

18. A very appropo story in today’s world. When we lost everything and were homeless, we curled on a blanket beneath the stars, hugged each other, and were just happy to have each other. Our friends and family abandoned us. Things are a little better now, we have an apartment, and recently got a bed and a few pieces of furniture. It’s no where near where we were, but we have what’s important – each other, food, shelter.

19. I would do without the penthouse too. 🙂 Great story. 🙂

20. Just being in a city for a short time gives me the creeps. I love this story.

21. Nice story. But while we all hanker for the simple life there something to be said for being financially secure too.

22. I often use my little tent just to escape from the pressures of daily life for a while. and recharge my batteries. A thought provoking piece indeed.

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23. Dear Björn,

    You give us a lot to think about in this seemingly simple story. It looks like they’ve discovered what’s really important. Good one.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

24. Thought provoking, story and question. They sure go from one extreme to the other, don’t they? I don’t think it has to be that extreme but living a simpler life, getting back in touch with things that count in the end, would do many of us a lot of good. I try to live simple, but with creature comforts.

25. Great story with a great message. I would love to ditch the city for the quiet of the country. Some day. Sigh. :o)

26. Good for them! You’re about the first one to make camping look appealing…in a way. 🤔
    I don’t want a penthouse, but this is Saskatchewan with a week of minus 40 in Dec.
    Chipping through a metre of ice to draw the bathwater has no appeal. 😥

27. It didn’t take me long to tire of living in town. However, I do still prefer four solid walls, running water, and electricity. A weekend without those things makes me appreciate them more.

28. Lovely sentiments – till winter comes.

29. Brought Thoreau to mind. And I love happy endings 🙂

30. I often wish that I could change things and live the simpler life… not to this extreme, but a happy medium.

31. Lovely take on the prompt. I could totally picture this

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32. I’m so glad they’ve stuck together, that their troubles haven’t driven them apart. They might just need a roof over their heads once winter comes though 🙂 Lovely tale Bjorn

33. one of my favorite quotes is: if it’s not to your liking, change your liking. but, hopefully, it’s only a temporary situation for them.

34. Truly Bjorn. It’s a busy & materialistic world. But, when we are away from spreadsheets & penthouses, we realize the worth of simple life & happiness

35. Aw ok thats sweet… but awful how they got there. Sounds like they are making the most of it

36. I thought this was quite perfect 🙂

37. Wonderful perspective. I really enjoyed this one.

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