Embarrassment of Riches

“Are you independently wealthy?” she asked.
Immediately, I answered, “No.” I knew she was referring money and my seeming lack of lust for it. This is a snippet from a conversation, so you will have to take my word on the context.

But, I’ve been thinking about that question and my response.

You see I am independently wealthy and I know it better than most First World dwellers.

For many years I marched confidently along the prescribe path to wealth, security and, allegedly, happiness. I worked hard. I saved 10 percent of my earnings and contributed to an RRSP. I paid my mortgage, kept debt low and maintained my capital assets in good condition.

I had all the insurance coverage a sole-proprietor needs including long-term disability. I was not and am not rich in terms of First World money in the bank, but I had my bases covered. 

Then, God-the Universe-the Powers That Be, decided to make my life difficult. Between September 2008 and March 2009, the stock market crashed cutting my investments in half; Canada Revenue Agency decided to audit me and I had a heart attack.

My investments were my short-term disability.

You would not believe until you’ve been through it how much of your time an audit takes.

A heart attack comes with emotional instability as a part of the recovery. (Let me just say here that every major illness comes with emotional instability, but heart patients actually exhibit an inability to control emotions)

I needed time to recover from a major health event to the point where I could at least talk to people without crying.

But suddenly, it was a very bad time to take money out of my investments and my long-term disability insurance refused to pay me because my job was not physical labor therefore, I could get back to work. A heart attack is no reason to slack off after all.

At this point, I realized the Big Lie. It’s not just a gargantuan falsity; it is a well-honed intentional deception to make money from fear. It is perpetuated by banks, insurance companies, our governments and us.

The silver lining to this story is that, through this hardship, I learned that I am outrageously wealthy. I have an embarrassment of riches that I bathe in daily. If that shit-storm had not happened, I may have gone on in ignorance of the true wealth in my life.

You cannot rely on money to make you wealthy and definitely not to make you happy.

Madelon, me, Matt, Charlotte, Kathleen (a few years back)

My wealth comes from the community that surrounds me and gives me love and appreciation. I still tear up when I remember the people in my life that supported me through that time and continue to support me to this day. I love them all and will be right there for them if they need me.

It comes from my autonomy to live my life on my terms. I have great respect for all the people who do the many jobs that run our society. Keep up the good work. I’ll be over here, doing it my way.

It comes from my ability to direct time to things that give my life purpose. Life needs to have purpose and not all things that give life purpose are paid labor. In fact, in our society, they tend to be the very things no one is willing to pay you to do.

Community – Autonomy – Purpose – Appreciation

I am not for sale. I am here to live my life my way and make my contribution to a brighter world.

So, am I independently wealthy?

You bet-cha!