a peasants life
material wealth
monetary wealth
riches and wealth in life
richness of love and harmony
richness of nature
What In Life, Besides Money, Makes You Feel The Richest Person In The World?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
August 9, 2007 4:00pm CST
Would you choose Nature, with all its colourful scenes, ever changing stages of life and power to put unlimited splashes of colour before your eyes and earthy aromas in the air around you?
Would you choose material things... a castle, or mansion, with plush furnishings in deep red, or purple velvet, oak beams and inglenook fireplaces? A Rolls Royce or BMW car, or for the Americans amongst us, I guess a Chevy?
Would you choose a luxury life, cruising the World, visiting all the palaces and regal places?
Would you choose a safe-full of the most expensive, exquisite jewellery you could possibly find?
Or would you choose a wealth of friends, love and harmony amongst people? The life of a peasant, with all it's musicians and bards, the wealth of the earth, the rising and setting Sun and Moon and all the freedom and love you could wish for?
Or would you choose something entirely different? I'd like to hear your views on this. I daresay you can guess which I'd opt for, if you've known me for any length of time, but I'm interested to hear what would make YOU feel the richest person in the World. :)
5 people like this
29 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
9 Aug 07
Well first of all...I want it all...LOL...Nature does make me feel rich, which is why I'm predominantly a nature photographer...nothing fills my soul more than walking around with my camera gear photographing nature's beauty...But yes, I admit to being materialistic, but in different ways---hehe...I might be an American but nope..don't want a Chevy...give me a pre-2005 Jaguar XJ (the newer ones don't have the classic jaguar hood ornament)--My tastes in homes have changed...I always wanted a tudor styled home as I love that architecture...but I can be just as content with one of those luxury type glorified log cabin type homes with spectacular cathedral ceilings, and would love to have that home in a heavily wooded area, and have lots of gardens surrounding the home...Jewelry..nah...never was really into it, but my weakness is anything silver with turquoise...I would love to travel all over the world to as many places as possible--especially the British Isles, but I think you know that already..LOL ;)
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
You'll definitely have to take pics of that Saxon village they are building...and wouldn't mind the tudor home..but I show what I mean about a log home...not what most people think of in log homes..could blend in very well with the countryside there--mmm..still like to have my jaguar car...hehe..wouldn't mind a horse, but would have to be taught how to ride one--LOL
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
10 Aug 07
That village looks as those it'll be a great one..Looks like a rather long term project as it says they plan to be finished only with phase one during this year
Darn, and I was hoping you could teach me to ride a horse..LOL
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
11 Oct 07
Hi Darkwing! Money really helps and is a tremendous factor to make all things possible for a happy and enriching life somehow. But my idea of being and feeling rich is to see my family and all thoe people I love living in peace and contentment and love in their hearts. If I know and see that the people I love are happy then I am happy too. If my life will be filled with love and peace and always feel God's presence in my life, then I guess, I will be the richest person in the world. It is all I really want and wish for the longest time in my life. Take care and have a nice day.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Oct 07
Consider this, my friend... if money had never been invented, and you had to exchange small gifts for services rendered, food, clothing, and favours, would you still find the happy, contented life that you find with your family, friends and your God? I think you possibly would, so money really isn't an important commodity of life, unless you make it so. Don't you agree? :)
Brightest Blessings. x
1 person likes this
@plumwish07 (4057)
• Indonesia
11 Oct 07
feeling loved and secure inside that made me feel so much rich in this life. i know that money is important thing for our lives but being loved by someone that we love encourage me to through my life journey better than before :)
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Oct 07
I agree, but I only feel money is important because somebody made it so. If we'd never had it, I think we would still have made a very pleasant life for ourselves without having to bother about it. In ancient times, small gifts were exchanged for services, favours, food, whatever, and to my mind, the ancients learned far better lessons from their lives than we ever will.
Brightest Blessings.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
18 Aug 07
I love your choices and descriptions of same...such a wonderful gift of yours...you weave your words into lovely tapestries of prose.
My choice would be a combination of Nature and the gift of shared love with one other. Then I would choose love and harmony, the life of a couple of wanderers meeting old friends and new, gathering love and spreading it onwards to others.
@mummymo (23706)
•
11 Aug 07
You already know what I am going to say here don't you Darkwing honey? Of course it is my wonderful family and all the loving friends and neighbours I have whos are so supportive and helpful to me - I know I am a very rich woman who is blessed in life with family and friends - they make me feel richer than any material possesions ever could! xxxx
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
Yes, I think I possibly might have guessed, Mummymo. I'm sure you give as well as taking of their loving deeds though. I think that's a big part of being rich in friends and family... the sharing and give and take that goes with it. People don't often do the same in the case of money, do they?
Brightest Blessings my dear friend. Hope you're beginning to feel a bit better. xxxx
1 person likes this
@3lilangels (4639)
• United States
11 Oct 07
well what makes me feel the richest in the world would be my family and my 3lilangels.i know we would all love to be rich some day but im happy the way i am with not much money and a heck of alot of love and just looking at the smiles on my childrens face makes me the richest person alive,just knowing they are happy and love me.pattie
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Oct 07
That's right... I think children who are brought up with a limited, basic amount of money in their family, are so much more grateful for the little gifts and rewards that you can afford them. It's also more important to share all that love, than to be able to give them every material thing they ask for.
I love to hear children's laughter... it's like music to my ears. Brightest Blessings, my dear friend. x
@maheshkalwani (1308)
• India
10 Aug 07
love makes me feels rich, love my family,my friends and even love of those who pray my best. i am thankful to god for such a life he gave me. i cant explain you my lifestyle and my treasure of richness i have but i can surely say taht i am happy with all i have got.
gods deed is that "be happy with whatever you have"
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
Precisely... I'm not Christian, but those words are a very good creed to live by. Money was created by man and has become a divider of humans. To my mind we should all be on a similar level and able to help each other grow in richness by giving of our love and wisdom to those who need it most.
Brightest Blessings, and thank you for your input.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
Awwwww, that's so sweet Gabs, but then you wouldn't be so rich without first giving of yourself. You radiate light and love to all these people... and Gissi, and are being repaid with the greatest treasures a person could ever want.
Brightest Blessings, love and hugs. xxx
@randyequal (439)
• China
10 Aug 07
Money is very very important in life. Sometimes, I feel so disapointed because of lacking of money. Because I cannot help my brothers, my friends when they need money. Owning a large sum of money makes me a very rich man. But besides money, there are also many kinds of things that can make me rich. for example, genuine friendship..
1 person likes this
@Bujoyseth (1684)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
hello darkwing!
i feel rich with my family and friends whom i know loves and cares me a lot.. nothing could ever make me rich than having my family and friends with me.. money, luxuries is useless without those people who loves and cares for you.. the l;ove they bring and the joy they bring to you is the most precious treasure i have for the rest of my life and will carry it in my second life...
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
How right you are Bu... you've brought a tear to my eye with your sentiments.
Money and luxuries are indeed useless without love and wisdom. You can't buy love, and I wouldn't trade it for money... ever. I think you're learning the lesson of life very well, in that you understand the workings of nature and life itself. There was no money in the beginning... there will be no money at the end. But love will always remain. :)
Brightest Blessings my friend... may all your lives be rich in love and wisdom.
@marje_09 (63)
• Philippines
10 Aug 07
Aside from money,(because i don't have it) GOOD HEALTH/HEALTHY makes me feel rich in this world, Everyone.........most often to people like me who raised from poor family loved to plant different vegetables that helps us to be strong specially our bones, strong muscles and a bounciful of protien...though that is the only foods we can afford but vitamins and other nutrients were taken from different plants, vegetables and fruits, specially banana which is rich in potasuim..........all are naturals no chemical being added. Socializing is just a part of one's life but it's only a bit of extra curicular. We can also raise our own hogs.......chicken, goat,sheep, ducks and a lot more. It's just a sort of having exercise by doing so. Having good health, we could have happy family then. So having Good Health is a great wealth i could have............Patience has a lot to do to us.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
You too, seem to understand the importance of nature, Marje, and I feel you appreciate this lifestyle very much. Without money, you have created through your own and your family's love and wisdom, a happy, healthy life. You've learned how to raise your own food, and survived well. Would you have it any other way? Would you rather be rich and buy food from stores which was probably far less nutritious than that you raised? I think not.
To my mind, you lead a very rich and meaningful life, and I send you my Brightest of Blessings for a continued richness in health and love.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
10 Aug 07
I feel richest when I can have anything I want when I wished for it, everything go according to my wishes and fancy. No no, I am no control freak and I do not demand that everyone listen to me. I do feel rich if each and everyone of us live in a world of full contentment, oblivious to any harm, injury and pain. This is similiar to your wealth of friends, but I am more ambitious. I want the whole world to be friends of everyone, all because of me. That makes me the richest person in the world :P
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
Wonderful thoughts, Why, my friend, but I feel if we were oblivious to pain and injury, then a lesson will have been missed. Everything we encounter in life is a lesson, and how we handle it depends on how we've understood each lesson.
However, I like very much your final sentiments here. They show me what a special person you are. Brightest Blessings, dear friend, for a very rich life.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
10 Aug 07
I don't think lots of money makes people happy. Good health and luck are far more important than money. In fact many rich people are quite miserable. A poor person can get joy and satisfaction from saving up and buying something. A rich person can rush out and buy every single thing he or she wants. But will the rich man or woman appreciate what they have got.
I wouldn't choose a luxury lifestyle with lots of material wealth. I would choose to travel more often to places all around the world. This is what makes me happy. I would be happy to stay in budget guest houses and fly in economy class. I like to see the culture and meet some of the local people in the countries I visit. Seeing lots of special places in the world would make me a rich person in spirit, rather than in material terms.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
A great response Max and so true that rich people take too much for granted in life and are often unhappy, for they will never know the feeling of victory or success, or the satisfaction of giving from the soul and heart, instead of the pocket.
Your thoughts about travelling the World are similar to mine, except I would leave the plane and go for my dream Romany Caravan, a Shire Horse to pull it, and the freedom to roam wherever I wanted to. Yes, that would probably include other countries, and joining the cultures of those countries for a short while before moving on. I feel this would create great wisdom within one's self and would build a sort of World Bond, which would be the most treasured of treasures in life.
Thank you for your input and Brightest Blessings for a rich life, my friend.
@eyewitness (1575)
• Netherlands
10 Aug 07
My family.Having them around knowing they are healthy makes me feel i'm the richest persn.I won't be alone.I can laugh with them talk to them.
You can always count on them.That's more worth than money or everything else.
1 person likes this
@kayrod2 (1304)
• Australia
10 Aug 07
Love, family, friendship, watching a sunset/sunrise (reminds me of another discussion), sharing, giving. These things mean the world to me. Much more than money. I always say, money doesnt buy happiness. I think i know what you would choose. You love life, friendship, family, earth, nature. I think these things makes us not only feel the richest person in the world, but makes us that person. Money comes and goes, but what we have is priceless and means the world to us.
Best wishes, Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
Ha ha ha... hmmmmmm, am I that obvious, Kay? Yes, you're quite right and your addition of the sunrise and sunset is valuable. I regard the sunrise as all the gold we need in life; the sunset, dying embers of the fire of energy which has spent itself providing energy and light for the growth of nature and life on earth.
As for money coming and going, I would be happy to go back to the old ways when small tokens were exchanged for necessities and gifts. But, those days are far gone, I'm afraid, and whoever said that "Money is the Root of all Evil.", hit the nail right on the head. :)
Sorry... I went off on one again, my friend. Thank you very much for your input. Brightest Blessings.
@BeachLover (520)
• India
10 Aug 07
For me money is very important for a good life. Your status in society is determined by wealth you have. I know it's not the only thing, which determines your social status. But, it has more importance in todays life.
For me, apart from money love is very important. Lots of love from my family, friends, colleagues and relatives. Life is nothing without love and support.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
I think you're possibly right that money has been MADE to be an important part of life, but I don't agree that it's necessary to enjoy a rich and wealthy life.
Think back to the beginning... money wasn't created, it's a human creation. In the beginning, people made their way in life through love and understanding, wisdom and skills. They are the things that determined their wealth, and services and goods were obtained by exchanging small tokens and gifts in appreciation. I think money has separated people, and I welcome my wisdom any day, over money. But that's another story.
I think we could destroy all the money in the Universe, which in turn would destroy greed and evil power; and survive on love, wisdom and skills, had it not already gone way to far!
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your input.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Aug 07
I think most of the participants in this discussion would opt for their families and friends, and the richness of nature, rather than money, Mistissa. I'm quite touched by some of the responses I'm getting here, because it shows me that there are many caring people in the World who would willingly exchange material wealth for the richness of love in life.
Brightest Blessings my friend, and thank you for your input.
