How many times have you purchased a lottery ticket? For some people it’s a regular thing, others may never have considered buying one. My husband and I often give one another lottery tickets as gifts for holidays or birthdays…I mean a $5.00 ticket could completely change our entire life and wouldn’t that be interesting?!
We’ve spent hours dreaming and fantasizing about the changes and improvements we’d make to our home, how we’d be in a position to financially help family members, how we’d quit our jobs and travel more with our kids. I know I’d continue to work on shifting the way we (collectively) parent, but be able to do so more freely without the concern of the bills that go along with life would be such a relief.
But alas, at least as of the writing of this column, the winning lottery ticket has alluded us. Knowing Tom and I, we won’t ever give up on the idea of instant wealth, but the likelihood of that happening is slim and, fortunately, we both very much enjoy what we do for a living so while it isn’t providing for updates on our home or lengthy world travel, what we do is keeping us warm/dry/fed and clothed.
I’d like to believe that if I were instantly rich, I wouldn’t change as a human being. It’s nice to believe that if money were not an object, I’d just have more time and ability to do what I love most, which is to work with parents of teens and help them create happier, heathier home lives.
It’s not a big house, or an expensive car…it’s not all A’s on a report card or being named the best player on the team…
What’s really meaningful in life are the connections we have with those around us. As we celebrate the month of love let’s reflect on how the little things…coffee with a friend, a date night with our significant other, the everyday conversation we have with our kids when they get in the car after school, THESE are the moments that are worth a million dollars!
