We’ve heard it said that money is the root of all evil. I challenge that. Money is just… money. What it can do (or do to a person) depends solely on who holds it. It can do good – great good. It can fund experience, it can foster development, and it can subsidize security. But it cannot buy happiness – someone can sit on a pile of money and be completely miserable. Chasing money for the sake of having money will inevitably leave you empty inside.
Our relationship with the money that we make is something that we need to manage. We need to keep it in perspective so we don’t get trapped by it.
Don’t misunderstand me, we need to think about money. Money is important. We need to figure out how to support ourselves – food, water, shelter – you know, cover the basics. Then, perhaps, we’ll want to figure out how to support a family and a happy, well-rounded home life – purchase a home, welcome a pet, manage child care – all while still covering the basics. Then maybe throw a few extras into the mix – vacations, extras for the kids, nice clothes, or a sweet car. Being able to support all this can fulfill us and allow us to refocus our energy on enjoying the experiences that come with all of these things. But then what? Where does it go from there? Nicer clothes? A bigger house? A sweeter car? The thing is, those ‘ers’ don’t equate to ‘happier.’ What the sweeter car becomes is still just ‘the car.’ The ‘ers’ are fleeting.
Invest in lifting others up. Invest in a stronger community. Invest in becoming the best ‘you’ you can be. Figure out how to be free enough of the money pit to give of yourself, in all ways that only you can; and leave something behind that won’t rust, rot, or crumble. Let go of another ‘er’ and just see what you gain instead.
