The Root of All Evil

The topic of money is a rather touchy one. It’s such a sensitive, personal issue for so many people. It’s been the cause of colossal amounts of war, divorce, and other personal and family problems. There are so many different matters associated with the earning of money, spending it, managing it, and losing it, that to talk about it all in one meagre blog post is impossible. In any event, as a girl that has grown up without any excess amount of money in life, I do have a few opinions that I’ve formed over the years. I’m going to try to attempt to scratch the surface at least, and explain why money holds no priority and power in my life.

Some people seem to have certain beliefs attached to the accumulation of money. Here are a handful of the most common disillusionments:

I want to be able to buy the things I want and need. I will feel more secure. – This goes back to the idea of attempting to fill the empty hole in your heart with nice things. It’s been said the typical period of feeling “satisfied” with a material possession (whether it be a new car, pair of jeans, new toy, etc.) is 6 weeks. During that 6 week period you typically feel elated and fulfilled with your new purchase, but in time, you will tire of it, and guess what? The empty hole is still there, and you’ll have to go out and buy something else to fill it; the cycle continues. True security and fulfillment cannot be maintained through anything material.  "Whoever loves money never has enough of it; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless." - (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

I’ll be much less stressed out. I’ll be much more happy and relaxed. –  Famous actors/actresses, athletes and musicians make millions upon millions of dollars, yet time and time again, we hear of the drug overdoses, the scandals, the depression, the suicides. They can have everything that money can possibly buy you, but yet they are not happy. What’s the problem here?  The disillusionment that money will guarantee you a happy life. As the old-school rapper Notorious B.I.G. stated “mo money, mo problems”. The more money you have, the more responsibilities you will accrue.  I’ve even heard of lottery winners ending up worse off than they were before, or even bankrupt. Don’t trivialize all that you have been given now in search for a higher level of happiness in your future. No amount of money will provide you lasting happiness. "If you make money your god, it will plague you like the devil " - Henry Fielding

I want to work hard now so I can enjoy life later on. I want to a leave a legacy.  –  There was one particular gentleman I knew very well who was so convinced of this. He sacrificed everything in hopes of building a better future for himself. He sacrificed his heath (mentally and physically), his relationships, his reputation, his YOUTH. All things were casualties in his reckless pursuit, and it’s true in this case that “money often costs too much.”  (Ralph Waldo Emerson). The problem with this is, it’s never going to be enough. There will always be a higher level of “success” to achieve. When you spend years and years with this frame of mind and work ethic, it’s doubtful you will wake up one morning and say “ok that’s enough, I’m good now”. Meanwhile, your children are all grown, your marriage/relationships have suffered and you’ve lost countless hours and opportunities living your life NOW, as it’s happening. Because I hate to break it you – your life is is happening NOW. You cant put it on hold until you feel you’re more ready for it. The cozy, financially-stable dream life you have in your head is not happening right now, it may not ever happen. You see, years of strain on relationships don’t magically recover once you have six-figures in the bank. Nothing in this life is guaranteed, our time on this earth is so short and can be taken away from you at any instant. So what do you want to do with your time? What kind of legacy do you really want to leave when you’re gone? "Love leaves a legacy. How you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth.” - Rick warren.

My only prayer is for you to reconsider your opinion on what money really is, and what kind of place it holds in your heart and your life. Take the power away from that wretched piece of paper called “money”  and fix your eyes on the things that money cannot buy. My eyes are fixed on all those things, and for that reason alone I feel like the richest girl in the world. :)

"The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money."