Desire is a contract that you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want. — Naval Ravikant



I have this magic wand (as in wizardry). It can instantly get me anything I want.

If only I had some aromatic coffee right now . That would be a perfect start for my morning.

I wave my wand. And a cup of drip coffee appears. Made with beans from Costa Rica, prepared by my favourite roaster. I bring my nose closer for a good sniff. I close my eyes and inhaled. And feel immediately energized. A bit smoky, smooth, and slightly fruity. My day is already getting better.

If only I had the right music to accompany this .

The wand puts on Partly Sunny by Joey Pecoraro. It has the right tempo. The right timbre. Interesting but not too many parts for this moment. Nice!

If only I also had a cold brew next to my drip coffee . That way I could alternate between the hot and the cold, and enjoy the contrast.

A glass of cold brew emerges. It has a similar fragrance. But an even more pronounced peachy note. And the ice rounds off its intensity nicely.

Mmmm...

If only I had a croissant to go with it too . While we're at it, send a pain au chocolat as well. Oh and bring some egg tarts, with a puff pastry crust.

And there I have it. Fresh out of the oven. Cooled off just enough. I let my teeth sink in and appreciate the meticulously crafted flaky layers.

They are great. But maybe a little greasy and drying. I need a beverage. One with a little bit of caffeine to help me regain some alertness. But not too much.

Ah, if only I had an iced lemon tea to cut through all of this .

I take a big gulp of the drink that the wand just plucked out of thin air. And it hits the spot! Refreshing, to say the least. Acidity and sweetness balance the astringency from the Ceylon tea and the lemon peel. Delivered ice-cold.

My second gulp is almost as good. It allows me to dwell at the moment for a little bit longer. But the sensation fades a few seconds later. And the subsequent sips just won't give me the same enjoyment.

I could use more stimulation . But I am getting full. The downtempo music was also getting repetitive at this point.

I wave the wand. And it puts on Bojack Horseman, my favourite TV show. It must have been my 7th time watching this episode now. But it remains fresh. The jokes still land. And it still is still so dark and painful to watch, in a good way.

But entertaining as it is, my attention keeps drifting away. I unconsciously start snacking on dark chocolate while watching the show. It provides momentary satisfaction, which soon turns into an overwhelming richness and gripping sensation on the tongue.

If only I had content that was more engaging . More fitting for this moment. Maybe a show that I haven't seen before. But starting a new drama series would be too much of a commitment. A science educational video would be too dense. A standup comedy show would be too much "empty calories". Nature documentary? Too slow.

Then the wand does it again! It delivers a VR headset. And there is my solution. Accessing the world's beauty with none of the logistical baggage, in an immersive experience. This is amazing! Nothing like the thrill and novelty of teleporting to other universes, both real and fictional.

About five minutes later, I put down the headset. And I stow the wand away.

My senses are fatigued. And all I feel now is a stab of disappointment and a lingering sense of emptiness.