A lot of people who don’t have money either worship it or downplay its value. Some of those who do have it in abundance either take it for granted or use it as their scorecard to move ahead in life.
Money is a tool. It’s a resource. People should not downplay resources; we need them, we want them, we spend much of our waking moments in pursuit of them. If the world were one big library, where people borrowed and returned resources on the honor system, we wouldn’t need money—but that isn’t the case.
Money is what you make it. People call money the root of all evil, but I think Mark Twain got it right when he said, “The LACK of money is the root of all evil.” The problem with a word such as lack is that it can mean anything. We all live beyond our means. Many of the things we consider needs are still luxuries when compared to how the majority of the world is living. There are families living on less than a dollar a day, and I read a story of a farmer in India who committed suicide because it would have taken him ninety years to pay back an outstanding loan of $300.
Money is a made-up concept, but everyone’s playing along. Money can do well to stay in your head, but can cause problems when it finds its way into your heart. Ambitious folks are never satisfied, and will accumulate until their number is called. Content folks have no needs, and can find happiness and peace in whatever their situation may be.
I know I’m happier wanting less than getting more. I’m not an idealist, though, and I understand the nature of this planet and the importance resources play in that. Ever since we learned to hold, we learned to own, and once we learned to own, the rat race began.
Never confuse greed and ambition; greedy folks want it without acknowledging or respecting the work that it takes to get it.
Your relationship with money is yours and yours alone. Don’t allow others to dictate what it means or doesn’t mean to you. My wealth is my family and friends, and I dream of being in a position financially to make their dreams come true.
What does it mean to you?