Recently I caught up with friends from bygone days and was shocked when they immediately told me about their possessions. It's like they were saying, "this is my life." It isn't, you know.
What's important is how you feel. That's the story, not whether you managed to buy something expensive in your travels. Where did your life take you? After all the twists and turns, did you end up happy, sad, resentful, broken, undaunted? Are you proud of your life?
Much to my surprise, at 63 I'm the happiest guy in the world. That's the news I have for my old friends: "Hey, I ended up happy!"
As for money, I'm still a hippie about it. It seems foolish to me. I don't have any, don't want any, and have never spent one hour thinking about money in my whole life. I've never balanced my checkbook -- I just go by feel. I also don't want many things so I'm easy to please. I seem out of step with others on this topic but I'll never change. Money is boring.
Yesterday morning I saw a poll on CNN Money:
When will you become a millionaire?
- In five years
- Ten years from now
- In twenty years
- Already am one
- Never
They should have added another choice: "6. Don't care." We hippies have no respect for money, none at all. Isn't happiness and feeling good about your life vastly more important than money? Just saying.
