SD R, I think that where our philosophies diverge is that you equate wealth with quality of life. I believe that once basics are met (shelter, food, love), happiness is up to the individual. You can choose to be happy with what you have, or you can choose to believe that you do not have enough yet.
I spent the first 50 years of my life waiting for “just one more thing” before I would allow myself to be happy. But it seemed like there was always one more thing after that.
Maybe it’s just part of growing older (and wiser? lol) but now I am just so happy with all that I have, and I no longer worry about “oh my god!, what if the economy gets worse, what if interest rates go up (or down), what if a republican or democrat gets elected president.
We can choose to worry about the future for our children, but I can remember some of the coolest times of my 20’s and 30’s was sharing a small apartment with my fellow, struggling, retail/fast food cashier friends, and “surviving” on curry rice and hamburger helper. Sometimes we would splurge and go to the video store and rent a movie.
What I’m trying to say is that it’s so important to not get caught up into believing that we need “things” (beyond food, shelter, love) in order to be happy. There is no contest, no points scored for having the best stuff.
