I was listening to a podcast with Kevin Kelly author of Excellent Advice for Living the other morning.
He likes to ask his children (and others), “what would you do if you won a billion dollars – how would you spend the money?”
He says everyone tends to say the same sorts of things, to which he replies, “But you can do that now”
It got me thinking – how would I spend the money?
Well, I would travel, but I can and do that now. I tried to stretch my brain. Really, I mean – I don’t need a billion dollars to travel – I could travel quite well on a budget. Especially for the sorts of things I like to do. Hiking. Cheap as chips. The ocean – everywhere on earth and can be done expensively or not.
I would love to travel worldwide – see everything that had ever intrigued me when I read about it. Travel for months, years on end. But would I? Would I really? I’m a homebody at heart. I think I could probably burn out on travel pretty quickly and end up right back here – happy in my daily routines.
But money wasn’t the restriction – not really. If I sincerely wanted I could sell up everything (although it could create a bit of an argument with my husband:) and have the money to travel extensively. It’s not about the money.
We worry a great deal about money, we humans. My dog doesn’t. No other animal does, as far as we know.
A yogi once said “We arrive with nothing and we cannot take a single thing with us – therefore – we arrive here already ahead.”
Already ahead.
And we can’t take anything with us, although it is great to be able to leave wealth to our kids.
I was born healthy into a stable family in one of the luckiest countries in the world. Already way ahead, I would say.
There are two ways to be rich. Be rich. This is tricky as nobody ever seems to know when they arrive at this immeasurable point. Or live happily within our means. How often do truly wealthy people stop and think, I have enough; I’m just going to live off this and experience life now? I’m not sure, I haven’t asked one. But the point is, we can all live a deeply rich life. Not a life full of things and objects, but a life full of experiences and purpose. We just have to define what our deepest desires are.
Australia is indeed a lucky country; we have great social systems that look after people. I recall reading an article in the newspaper a few years ago about a man living on the age pension who would save his pension by living frugally and then travelling worldwide. His itineraries were planned within his budget; it was quite a fascinating read. I wish I had saved it. Another elderly lady travels on cruiseliners and says it is cheaper, more fun and more luxurious than an aged care home. If you plan correctly, I can see how that would be true. When I recently went on a cruise, I chatted with people who watched the websites, and one older lady was almost travelling for free; her fare (on a deal) was so cheap. Food is also included in your fare on the ship, and there is a massive variety.
I have a great life, and this is what answering Kevin Kelly’s questions revealed to me.
Waking up in my lovely home in this peaceful rural location. Walking with my dog, cooking meals for my family, laughing with the people I love. Writing, working, poetry, art. Having time to think and ponder and lie in the grass, watch the sunset. Travel when I can fit it in, reading great books and listening to podcasts from around the world when I can’t. Day-to-day things that make me feel blessed. I don’t want anything more than I can afford. And I consider myself fortunate for that. I consider myself rich.
We only have this one life – how do we wish to live it? Truthfully – for me, similar to the way I already do. I would love to provide funds to good causes worldwide, though that would be satisfying. So bring on the windfall if you must, universe, I will undoubtedly use it 🙂 But if it is not to be, that is also fine. I’m happy and free as I am.
How about you? Do you consider yourself rich? Happy? What would you add, and what do you need to have that happen?
