Much in the modern media reinforces the values of becoming rich, or
famous, or conformist to the current, politically-correct beliefs.
True, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with being rich or famous.
It's nice to be rich or famous...the rub comes with what you have had
to do to get there, and what you've given up along the way.
If you've helped others along the way, and you've kept your integrity
along the way, more power to you. But if you've lied, cheated, debased
yourself and others in the search solely for money and/or popularity, then
you've achieved a Pyrrhic victory at best.
In the end, the old homilies of honor, integrity, compassion, persistence,
humor, and love will matter more to your self image, to how those closest
to you view you, and to how others view you.
You can lie to other people, but you cannot lie to yourself. You know what
you have done...and the people closest to you know what you are like.
Outsiders may admire you, but you know if you're living a lie.
So my advice for living a good life would be to place your individual
worth and integrity above your bank account or your popularity.
If you are a business owner or a manager, treat your workers fairly and
honestly. Make tough decisions when they have to be made, but be
consistent and impartial in implementing those decisions. Run your
business ethically.
If you're a worker, do the best job you can and take pride in it.
Give your spouse love and respect, and as much time as you can.
Give your children your love and your time, and teach them to value
their abilities, and, above all, to value their personal integrity and honor.
Don't forget to have fun in your working and family life.
None of us leads a perfect life. We all have faults. We've all failed
at things, we've made mistakes, we have regrets.
But we've also done some things well. We've learned hard lessons.
We've been touched by kindnesses and love we've not deserved.
Material success comes hard in life. It takes ability, discipline,
persistence, perhaps education, and the luck to be in the right place
at the right time. One of the lucky breaks is to be able to live in a
country that allows you to earn your way to the top 1 per cent.
Most of us never make it to that point, and don't begrudge those that
do, because we realize that the measure of a good life is not how
many dollars are in the bank when you die. It's not how you are
trending on twitter (or whatever new social media site) when you die.
When you're gone, you're gone. What you thought about yourself
doesn't matter any more. Your money is someone else's now. You
can't spend it any more.
What matters now is how you're remembered by those you've met
along the way. Does your spouse miss you for all the wonderful times
you've had together?
Did you love your children (and grandchildren and great-grandchildren)
and do they remember you for the love, the good times, and the
examples you set for them?
Do those acquaintances and people you worked with remember you as
someone they trusted, learned from, and had fun with? Were they
happy to have known you?
If you get to the point where your loved ones are left calculating
whether their inheritance was worth putting up with the old bastard
for all of those years, and if your friends aren't remembering the
accomplishments, the fun, and the laughs you had together... then,
the life you lived wasn't worth living.
