Memories or Money

As we grow up and discover all the wonders the world has to offer, there seems to be one thing that keeps getting shoved in our face - money. If you want to be successful in life, you need to be rich. You need to buy things, the most expensive things that money can buy. That is how society will measure you. That is what will make you happy. Money will solve all of your problems. I never really understood that.

It is true that money can make some things easier but it is definitely not the end all be all of all of your problems. If, in life, all that you strive for is money and things, in the end that is all you will have.  

When I think back on my life to all of those memorable moments, I never see a dollar sign attached to it. I can't tell you about the day I bought my latest thing. I can tell you about the day I was married, the day each of my children were born, the first time I held my grandson, the days my mother-in-law and father-in-law passed away. I also remember all the times I had to go to work and trade my time for money. Time I would have much rather have spent with my family, on moments that mattered to me.

But society isn't set up that way. Trading your time to make a few dollars to get you by until the next pay cheque. That is how it works in most situations. It can eat up a lot of our life. It did make the time I spent on what I wanted more precious, but that time goes by so fast. The money came and went, sometimes it was spent before I even had it. The memories that went along with the time, I hold on to. Those are mine. Memories last a lifetime. You can't buy them in a store.

Discovery

We all only have one lifetime and have one go around to fill it. What do I want to fill it with? A fat bank account, a mansion filled with things and a garage filled with fancy cars and all the latest toys? No! I want to experience life, the stuff you can't buy in a store. I want to fill my lifetime with memories. I want to share them with people I love, I want that curiosity and excitement of every new experience I encounter. I loved raising our children and seeing that excitement. Every time I shared something new and seeing that look of wonder and amazement. That, you cannot buy! You can see when you have touched someone to their very soul. It is more than just a look, it is a feeling. That soul touching moment stays with you. It is better than any drug.

People can become numb and forget how to feel. I think it is a very important part of life and you must never loose it. you have to fight sometimes to keep it or get it back. That is where Kathy and I are at now, fighting to take back "time" and fill it with new and wonderful memories. 

~Hans