From Price Tags to Priceless Moments
When I was young, I always thought that wealthy people were the ones with fancy cars and a nice house.
I had two friends in my neighborhood who always appeared to be very wealthy in my mind’s eye. They were the girls who always had the nicest clothes, took dance lessons, piano lessons, and were always going on family trips. I would often hear my dad say things like, “If things don’t pick up, meaning sales, I am going to have to sell pencils on a street corner because, being a salesman, and times were slow, this was his way of letting us all know that he was sort of worried. He never had to sell pencils on a street corner, but it certainly left an impression on me. The fact of the matter was, when I now go past the old homestead, I realize that it was our house that was most impressive.
I remember lots of advantages we had that others didn’t such as close family values and lots of love. We didn’t go through life without a few bumps (major bumps), but it just made me realize how important good family values are, what counts, and, of course, lots of love. I used to think wealthy people were the ones who never had to look at price tags, who seemed to have all the latest and greatest toys parked in their driveway. It never occurred to me at that time that all the money in the world could ever replace health and happiness. Now that I am older, I realize even the rich can worry; they just do it from more comfortable chairs.
I’ve seen people with so little money, yet so much joy, generosity, and calm that they made millionaires look poor. Maybe the richest people are the ones who can afford to give, not because they have plenty, but because they feel they have enough and get satisfaction in sharing their wealth. They don’t have the stress that they can’t survive without being wealthy.
When reflecting on my past, I go back to our class reunions. It seems to be a common practice at the first reunion, such as the five-year reunion, that everyone has come out to share how wealthy and successful they are. After a few reunions, it is obvious that the same people have realized that wealth and happiness are not in their pocketbook or bank accounts, but in family, friendships, and health.
My wealth looks a little different these days. It’s the sound of laughter around a dinner table when nobody’s checking their phone. It’s a refrigerator that hums, a coffee pot that works (most days), and a house that’s slightly messy but filled with love and a faint smell of cookies (made by our Jalapeño Princess). It’s the freedom to spend time at our family cottage with family and friends, and having time to just be me.
So these days, I measure my wealth differently. I count it in hugs, belly laughs, and good conversations that stretch long past bedtime. I count it in the comfort of knowing that no matter what the government decides and what the stock market does, I’ve got more love than I can spend in one lifetime.
But as the years have gone by, life has quietly redefined what wealth means to me. I’ve learned that you can have a full wallet and an empty heart, or very little in the bank and still feel rich beyond measure. Real wealth, I’ve come to understand, isn’t about what fills your hands but what fills your days.
My wealth now comes in quieter forms. It’s the sound of laughter around the dinner table, the warmth of a familiar voice on the phone, and the peace that settles in when everyone I love is safe under one roof. It’s the comfort of old memories and the hope of new ones waiting to be made.
Of course, money still has its place. It keeps the utilities on and the bills paid. But the kind of wealth that truly sustains us doesn’t live in a wallet; it lives in gratitude. It’s found in the way a child’s laughter or a much-needed hug can erase a hard day.
When I take inventory of what I own, I’ve learned to count differently. I count moments, not money. Love, not luxury. (well, maybe some luxury), And I find that I am far richer than I ever realized.
Because in the end, wealth isn’t measured by what we keep, but what we love and cherish, including freshly baked cookies.
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