It all started with a "trade-in"
At the beginning of the year, due to the persistent problem of computer cooling, I naturally bought a new MacBook. Then, for the mobile phone, I had a trade-in, and it was a new iPhone.
When I completed the payment for the order, I didn't have too much joy of owning the new item; instead, I felt a familiar sense of stability.
After carefully calculating the time spent with the Apple brand:
6 mobile phones, 3 computers, and 2 iPads.
This number surprised me myself.
What moved me even more was that the first two mobile phones were passed on to my father. Decades have passed, and he accidentally damaged one of them. However, the other one is still in his possession, still serving its purpose.
A strange sense of "delight" welled up in my heart. I suddenly realized: In this world, the things that can make you consistently follow them are actually not many. And having one of them is already a kind of happiness.
1、Trust, is a kind of "unintrusive" tenderness
We live in an era of information explosion and excessive choices.
Every day, we are struggling with countless new apps, new features, and new bugs.
What is the true luxury? It is "not being bothered".
- My old MacBook has accompanied me through countless late nights, never crashing at critical moments;
- my father's old iPhone, without fancy functions, but always smooth when answering calls and checking WeChat, without affecting his viewing of short videos.
This ultimate reliability provides a precious "emotional value". It is not like a "master" that requires your meticulous care, but like a silent and reliable "old buddy", always there when you need it.
This trust is established through countless "tests". It is every smooth update of the system, every product's stability over time, and that certainty of "handing it over to my family, I'm completely at ease".
2、Ecology is the invisible net that weaves our lives together.
From iPhone to MacBook, and then to iPad, what I possess is no longer isolated devices, but a collaborative living entity.
- The photos taken with the phone start editing on the computer immediately;
- the articles read on the iPad can be further explored with a MacBook;
- copying a piece of text can be pasted on any device...
These "unnoticeable" collaborations are as natural as air.
Technology is no longer a tool that needs to be learned and adapted to; it has integrated into the background sound of life and has become a seamless extension of thinking and creativity.
This is not merely a "ecological lock-in" in business, but rather a "unified background color" in life.
It makes my digital life neat and efficient, allowing me to focus more on the content itself rather than the trivialities of transferring and converting between different devices.
3、Following is an expression of one's identification with a certain value system.
We follow a brand, on the surface we follow its products, but at the core we follow the ideas behind it.
What I follow is that obsessive pursuit of an ultimate user experience, the profound meaning hidden behind "simplicity", and the spark that bursts when technology intersects with humanistic art.
Every product iteration for me is not a mere consumption, but more like a long-awaited reunion with an old friend - I know its "temperament" and it also understands my "habits".
We are all growing, but that tacit understanding in the core has never changed.
Apple's trade-in service has been around for some time now. It offers users the opportunity to obtain a more advanced product experience at a lower cost, allowing them to enjoy the technological advancements brought by new products anytime and anywhere. This service is worth following for a lifetime.
However, this binding arrangement is not driven by commercial strategies; rather, it perfectly aligns with the values I hold dear, namely 'making the most of resources' and 'continuous growth'."
4、From technological products to daily necessities to investments, we have been looking for...
'Sifting and Accompanying' is a universal life philosophy that is reflected in every aspect of our choices.
If the brand clothes we like could have a service of exchanging old for new, how wonderful it would be.
- How many pieces of clothing in a woman's closet haven't been worn for several years since they were bought?
- How many brands of cosmetics do we use every day? How many of them are still the ones we keep using?
- Do the hair salons and beauty parlors we frequently visit continue to accompany us?
The process of constantly sifting, choosing, and giving up consumes our time and enthusiasm. The cost of failure always leaves us with a sense of fatigue and frustration.
In this fast-paced era, we need to find trustworthy brands and keep them as our companions.
From this, I came to think of the core investment philosophy of Warren Buffett in the stock market: "Select a few companies that are worth owning, and then accompany them as they grow."
He called this "almost lazy inaction", which is actually based on extreme screening and absolute trust.
When ordinary people invest in the stock market, they chase hot stocks, buy high and sell low, frequently change their holdings, and ultimately become exhausted but gain very little.
This state is very similar to the anxious self we have in our consumption behavior, constantly making mistakes and always seeking the "next better" option.
Conclusion: Cherish the "good things" that have been tested in your life.
So, what I cherish is no longer the bitten logo of Apple.
- What I cherish is this certainty that has been formed over time;
- it is the long-term companionship represented by my father's old mobile phone;
- and it is a rare sense of peace in this ever-changing world.
In this world that pursues instant results, the greatest wisdom often lies in the slow selection and the long-lasting companionship.
Does there exist such an "old buddy" in your life? It might not be an electronic device.
Perhaps it could be
- a book that you keep reading and re-reading,
- a hobby that you have persisted in for twenty years,
- a long-lasting friendship, or
- that old rattan chair in the house that you have sat on for half your life.
Together, they form the anchor points of our lives, giving us something to rely on and making us feel happy in the midst of the complexity.
Ask yourself: In this world, how many things can you always follow? If you find such things, be sure to cherish them！
—— Extended Reading and Experience ——
The reliable companion that has been by my side for many years as mentioned in the text:
If you are interested in the "Buffett-style" selection and accompanying wisdom, this timeless classic is an excellent starting point: