The Meaning of True Wealth

The word "wealth" has a number of different yet related meanings. If you take a look at the dictionary, chances are you'll find more than one definition of this term. If you try to ask ten different individuals what wealth means to each of them, you'll probably find as many varied answers Of course, none of which is more or less correct than the others. But accurate as they may be, these explanations form only a portion of the true meaning of wealth. True wealth goes beyond the idea of material abundance or financial stability. Wealth is commonly associated with money and vice versa, but this is not the whole picture. Although financial security is a good indicator of wealth, it is not the only dimension of true wealth. In fact, measuring true wealth only through monetary terms can be misleading. Money is certainly a very important feature of modern life, but there are other equally essential aspects of living that we need to take into account when talking about true wealth. Time is a resource that is part of true wealth. Both the quality and quantity of time are important. We are often too preoccupied with the pursuit of only one aspect of wealth-money-that we lose so much time for other important things. Most of us can't or won't even find enough time for ourselves or our family because of schedules and deadlines. When you really think about it, time is not money. Having good health is also a vital attribute of true wealth. The age-old adage that health is wealth is still and always will be fundamental fact. However, because of the mistaken belief that money is equal to all wealth, most of us commonly take our health and well-being for granted. Many people are subjecting themselves to potentially health-threatening conditions in the pursuit of the almighty dollar. When good health is lost, so too will the value of our money. Contentment and quality of life are among the hallmarks of true wealth. Real satisfaction with what we have and in what we do is true wealth in itself. A truly wealthy person is someone who happy and content, although he or she may not be rich in terms of money. Again, too much attention to only the pursuit of money can negatively affect contentment and quality of life. All in all, true wealth extends beyond mere monetary considerations. True wealth involves a balance between having time, good health, contentment, quality of life, and security. It is the sum total of things that make the difference between truly living and simply surviving.