Bliss

I'm long overdue for a post but today I was so inspired to write on what defines wealth. My family and I have been staying with a friend who has a fabulous house in a gated community in South Florida. It's everyone's dream to live in such luxury and abundance but as much as enjoy it I realized that while this experience brought me joy, it couldn't touch one of my happiest memories of late. Honestly, being with a great group of friends playing Taboo and mafia increased my joy to such levels that it eclipsed vacationing in such grandeur. We laughed till we cried, teased each other, argued, and forged new bonds that could never equal to gated communities, private clubhouses, and Lexuses. These are all things, and honestly if you don't do meaningful acts with these things they will just be utensils with the promise of a greater life. Now, I do not deny that there is a certain esteem and ease that comes with living in wealth but making that what drives you just sets you up for a huge disappointment. You'll have the finest utensils in the world but no one meaningful to share it with, no rich human experiences to cherish, no beauty to fill your life. We are relational creatures so the next time you're killing yourself to aspire to reach something remember this-- will the end use of whatever I'm trying to gain make me truly happy? Will it enrich my human experience that I will live to be better? If not, don't kill yourself over it. Just enjoy that humble meal in your small apartment instead of brooding with discontent over it's lack of storage. See the beauty in your humility, and revel in it. So many envy to have such meaning in their lives but lack the courage to admit it. Do crazy things, live like you were dying, and remember:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
— Mark Twain

Toodles & God bless,

Christie