Wealth

I have a friend who recently became very wealthy. Wealthy, as in, able to purchase a house in Santa Barbara at the age of 23, wealthy. When he told me the news, at first I thought he was kidding, but as  we continued to converse via Facebook, I learned  that he was actually being 100% serious.

My reaction? Well, I was surprised and happy for him--not at all jealous. While  having a lot of money might make things in life a lot easier, I know that it won't bring true happiness. If I was wealthy I probably wouldn't buy all the nicest things that I could find anyway. Sure, I'd get a nicer computer, and a nicer car, eat steak more often, have more parties with my friends, and move into my own house, but I don't think that I would really change my lifestyle at all.

Ok, so I said that my initial reaction wasn't jealousy, but it was. No, not jealousy over his money--I don't find myself often dreaming of vast wealth. I was more jealous over his circumstance and his motivation. He is a millionaire at the age of 23 and engaged so a girl that has supported him through poverty and cancer. My jealousy was more along the lines of, Why can't I be as lucky as him" or "Why can't I be motivated like he is?" I know that if I pushed myself I could find ways to make exorbitant amounts of money, but what is the point? Not that I'll throw it away if I get it, but I don't really care all that much about money.

He kept saying to me over and over "There are good times ahead Matt." I know for him that he's telling the truth, but I'm also not someone to mooch off my friends just because they have money, so I'm pretty sure that my times will stay the same unless he goes out of his way to make my life more comfortable; honestly I don't know why he would choose me above anyone else though. We don't hang out a TON, but I still would consider us friends because of how he has relied on me in some of his past trials. I guess the point that I'm trying to make through all of this, is that I hope he doesn't change who he is and who he wants to become just because he has a fatter wallet now. He's a great guy that, while sometimes lost, has true motives and a good heart that I don't want to see corrupted by wealth. I even told him to his face, "Don't change the person that you are just because you have money now." I hope He listens. I know he wants to.

While his "good times" are about to start, I have no idea when mine will start, if ever. I hope that they start sooner rather than later, and that when they do start, I won't have become someone that I hate along the road.