The dictionary defines being happy as: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.
So how do we get that feeling into our lives?
Is it more and more money or bigger toys and a larger house or houses?
Is it traveling around the world for months on end?
Or is it just getting the satisfaction of helping someone or doing something to show kindness?
I suppose we all go through that phase of our lives where we strive to achieve the things and goals we don’t have. We want a better job, more money, nicer cars, travel, a larger house in a better neighborhood, nice clothes.
Maybe you’ve been there. I have.
And you know what? I don’t want to go back.
At this stage of my life, I am contented with where I live and the lifestyle I enjoy.
All of that stuff I mentioned above was nice, but trying to find it and more importantly trying to hold onto it can cause you to lose the most important things of your life.
Like your health, your spouse, your mind, your family and your friends.
Until a couple of years ago, I was able to carry those big old silver dollars around with me. I could get them from our bank for a buck, and most kids these days had never seen one. So, when I was out somewhere and some young kid was doing something to help someone, I would give the dollar to their parent and tell them to give it to them the next time they did something good or helped in some way or another with some chores. Most of these kids had never seen a coin that size.
The smiles you get from just a buck were very worthwhile. Cost me a dollar…
Now, since I can’t get the large coins any longer, I got $.50 pieces from the bank, then I bought a bag of Indian Head pennies all dated around 1890 or 1900. These cost me about $.75 each…so now I’m all in for $1.25.
When I meet someone, I ask them if they have a child or a brother or sister. More than likely they do.
I pull out the 2 coins and ask them which one they think the sibling or child will pick.
They always choose the big one, the $.50 piece ..but I tell them that the more valuable one is the smaller one.
The lesson is obvious.
Bigger is not always better. More is not always the answer.
Living our lives for the things we need, not the things we want will do wonderful things for you.
#1. It will make you happy.
#2. It will make you contented.
#3. It will give you freedom.
We’ve been fortunate to own a weekend house and boats of all shapes and sizes. But you know what, for as often we used them, I could have rented houses or boats and saved a whole lot of grief and money.
Storms and hurricanes produce stress if you own second houses or boats on the bay.
You don’t get to enjoy them, because guess what?
You’re too busy trying to make the money to keep them paid for.
When you are on the move and constantly hustling for more and more money, you cannot stop and enjoy the simple things in life or find time to do things for folks that are rewarding and make you feel good about yourself.
I read a quote the other day about the author of the novel, “Catch 22”. …Joseph Heller. Mr. Heller was at a cocktail party of a very wealthy man. Another author asked Mr. Heller how it felt to know that he (Heller) would never make as much with his newly published book as this man having the party.
Mr. Heller responded by telling his friend that he (Heller) had something the rich man could never have.
His friend was surprised and asked ‘What is it?’.
Heller replied…’Enough’.
Let me ask you….Do you have ‘enough’?
So, my friends, I urge to look around at the world and see what the pursuit of money will do to you. It may cost you your family, your spouse, your health and maybe even your life.
Stay happy, help someone every day in some small way.
My little example of the 2 coins costs me $1.25 …I seldom give them away each day, but to see kids or even adults smile and their faces light up when they understand the moral of the story is worth way more to me than I can tell you.
It’s the little things that are important in life.
Not the big ones….
See you next week….
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