Do You Hoard Your Wealth?

No – I don’t mean, do you have a savings account, retirement fun or a 401K. there are many forms of wealth in our possession that we may not even realize. And yet, on some level we must realize it because, if you’re anything like me, then there are certain things that you cling to and hold close – lest someone get it away from you.

For example: A beautiful woman who keeps her beauty for other beautiful people but not the nerdy bookworm staring at her from across a crowded Starbuck’s. Perhaps knowledge, intelligence or wisdom is your treasure. But you don’t share it because you don’t want ‘to interfere’ or because someone else might get ahead of you if they knew what you know? Talent, anyone? Do you reserve that for only those who might advance your career goals? Network connections – no, not the internet – but people you know in all sorts of industries, with all sorts of abilities and opportunities. Experience? Do you refuse to give someone the benefit of your experience because again, they might advance ahead of you? Might use your experience to their benefit – have more ambition and so will go for it, while you procrastinate? How about love? Do you keep a miserly fist wrapped around it? Meting it out to only family and close friends and not give it freely to your neighbor, your fellow man – whether they be millionaires or homeless or somewhere in between?

I bring this up not to chastise of ‘guilt’ anyone – God knows there is plenty of that going around and no one needs to add to that swirling mass of black hole. I bring it up because it was something that dawned on me and of every example I noted above, I am undoubtedly guilty. Perhaps because I never saw it as any type of wealth. Perhaps because I saw at as the few things I could own just for myself. Yet by doing so, it hasn’t enhanced my life or made me happy. In fact, it has made me suspicious and doubtful, perhaps even fearful.

Hoarding any of those things has not done one positive thing for me or my life. On the other hand, when I share it, offer it, give it freely, somehow it comes back to me a million-fold. Total strangers appear in my life and give me things, whether they are words of comfort, discount coupons or marketing secrets, doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I have found for everything I am willing to give something is given back to me and to my delight.

I’m not suggesting, one should be motivated to share or give of their wealth in order to get back – but I am suggesting that giving of your wealth, no matter what it is or may be, is good for your soul and opens you up to the world of possibilities. You may never know what sharing your wealth can mean to someone else’s life, you may never know that you’ve helped people or caused someone to rethink something and turn things around from a negative to a positive. Perhaps we aren’t meant to know – but I do believe that we can know that opening up to the world around you will only result in things being better for all, even if only in the tiniest way.

We all like to bitch and moan about the state and condition of the world – crummy politicians, the government, the price of food and gas, the war, the libs, the conservatives – whatever – but perhaps by doing so, we are being stingy with ourselves and are adding to that which we gripe about. Perhaps if we stopped griping and started sharing the state and condition of the world would change. One person at a time.

What do you think?

WC