"Being rich is a measurement of how money you have. Being wealthy is a measurement of how much time you have." -Anonymous
The following is not dedicated to Michael Jackson. Rather, it’s dedicated to the slow death of someone significantly more influential to our society: the school teacher.
For today’s Michael Jackson memorial, the city of Los Angeles will incur as much as $2 million to cover police, paramedics, traffic officers, and other city employees. It is a blaring indicator of what’s wrong with our economy…an inability to recognize priorities. Since March of this year in the state of California, more than 26,000 teachers and other school staff have received pink slips. There's no money for teachers but plenty of money for a Michael Jackson memorial? Is it me or does this seem strange?
On a day when so many are fantasizing about the life and accomplishments of Michael Jackson, I’m going to take a second to fantasize about something much "crazier" than Neverland: a world in which teachers are the stars they deserve to be. In fact, not just teachers but anyone who adds value to society and struggles to makes end met. These people earn a different kind of wealth I call ‘spiritual wealth.” One attains spiritual wealth based on how many beautiful moments they achieve in a day, how many children they inspire, how much time they reserve for family and loved ones, how often they touch the sand, watch the sunrise, and gaze at the oldest, tallest and prettiest trees in town. I know it’s crazy but just for a moment, let me dream.
And what if there was a certain “elite” neighborhood where only those with spiritual wealth could “afford” to live? Let’s call this neighborhood Mas Jegas simply cause it rhymes with Las Vegas. In Mas Jegas, there is a system similar to the bank that offers currency for your wealth. Let’s call it the “the Dank” which sounds like the bank. And let’s use the word “honey” not because they’d get honey from the ATM but because it rhymes with “money.” There’d need to be bankers similar to analysts who would gauge one’s spiritual wealth. Let’s call them Dankers. This would truly flip things around. Surely some great school teachers, street bums, taxi drivers and city workers would be fabulously “rich” in Mas Jegas.
I know what you must be thinking. What a ridiculous fantasy. But was the life of Micheal Jackson also not in many ways a ridiculous fantasy? If we put $2 million toward that, can we not put something toward a world where value, purpose, and priorities are the name of the game? If there’s one thing we gain from the hoopla around the passing of Michael Jackson, let it be to take a look at our priorities and consider this notion of a different kind of wealth.
Following are 3 tips to boosting your spiritual wealth:
1. Get Your Lunar Tan
If you think back on life, it’s hard to remember what you did a week ago Thursday or two weeks ago Monday. Life is turning into a big blur. A full moon is the solution. If it’s been a while since you’ve enjoyed a full moon, mark the next one on your calendar as an opportunity to put down the cell phone, turn off the TV, and take a summer stroll under the light. We don’t need a fancy vacation or expensive experience to live the good life. It’s the simple moments and sweet pleasures that make up our greatest memories.
2. The TV Diet
It’s very common in today’s world to make the TV the centerpiece of the living room. At least that’s the case in my living room. And our precious eveninga with loved ones are often consumed by The Housewives of Orange County, Simon Cowell, or Kobe Bryant. There’s nothing wrong with that, until we realize that one too many days go by without a conversation, quiet moment, or healing laugh with spouses, mothers, fathers, and brothers. It’s a great habit to take one day each week without TV. It might be painful at first but there’s nothing more enriching than reconnecting with those we love most.
3. Read a Bedtime Story
Some of my greatest memories are the pictures, rhymes, and fables from my favorite children’s books. As a child, every time someone would read me Where the Wild Things Are, I couldn’t believe my eyes…the forest was growing from the main character's (Max) ceiling and before long, he was dancing with giant monsters in some crazy land. What a beautiful way to drift off to sleep...Whether or not you have children, it’s a deeply enriching experience to read a bedtime story from a great childrens book. Read it to a child, read it to your spouse, read it to yourself. You’re never too old for fantasy. Keep dreaming. Who knows...maybe just maybe the day will come when you can afford the luxuries of Mas Jegas.
For more on Mas Jegas and the land of spiritual wealth, check out my book Yeah Dave's Guide to Livin' the Moment.
by David Romanelli (www.yeahdave.com)
