When I was watching a video[1] raising this question, it finally dawned on me that it is not money that we should chase for, but a rich life in our own definition. Money means different concepts, feelings, and amounts to different people. And how much money is a lot? How much money is enough? The answers may vary across countries and continents with different units of currency and standards of living, as well as happiness levels; but the question ‘What is a rich life to you?’ can make it more manageable to quantify the amount of money you need to have to be satisfied and therefore set goals and plans to achieve that figure.
Yesterday, when I was in a guided meditation for identity shifting, the image of my ideal self and environment was, both surprisingly and understandably, me as a scholar strolling along wall-to-wall shelves of books in a dark but cosy library of a British university. And I also pictured myself reading and writing, working on my last project at my desk, in my study, by the time I leave this life. That’s my rich life. That’s also both how far I want to go and how I want to stop (living), which are two key questions from a book that I was reading that struck a chord with me, but that should be the topic of another post.
In order to be rich and abundant, it is believed to be grateful for what you already have and keep wanting everything we already own. I have been taking my belongings and possessions for granted, and I guess I have not shown enough gratitude for them, but I know I am abundant and do not often have to worry about money. I know I am abundant when I look at the amount of stuff I have, either in my house or out of my house (I was startled at the amount of rubbish I once took out – Imagine the amount of stuff that will be replacing it?!). And for another reason, at least I wake up every day and money is not the first thing that comes to my mind. I would worry more about my responsibilities and commitments rather than something more abstract like money. Well, I know that for most people, money is not abstract, but for me, it is. It is too general a concept and too vague a life goal. I know that if I can quantify it, for either a goal or a purchase, it will look and feel more real and imaginable, but even so, working towards financial goals is not what I have been focusing on.
Ironically, what I have been doing these days has almost nothing to do with my next career goal – taking an important test. After completing a long one-to-one course, I have been shopping for books and binge-reading like a bookworm who went on a diet is now binge-eating for revenge. I persuaded myself that all of this is part of the test preparation, but the reality has been more like relaxing and indulging in books and artworks and shopping for them rather than something productive. At times, I feel like I was stuck in the Dutch Golden Age[2] with its artworks of flowers with their nuanced details and vivid colours, and I ended up buying another bunch of flowers for flower arrangement. At others, as I was reading, I felt like I was cultivating a new identity, which I consider a positive self-image of someone that I would admire and befriend, sensible, sensitive with arts and languages, but still accessible and relaxed like an old wise maid. To give myself daily doses of arts, I even installed Daily Arts[3] and set this marvellous painting “Flowers in a Glass Vase”[4] (1704) by Rachel Ruysch as my phone home screen (instead of a vision board). But I have been feeling richest ever (of course, in terms of time, not money)!
Now let’s connect what I have been rambling to the topic of discussion, which is what constitutes a rich life for me. The most crucial element for my rich life would definitely be having enough money to buy books and having enough time to read them. For me, being rich, in terms of time, not just money, means being able to follow through on my plans and intentions, despite whatever life throws at me along the way. I have seen many of my events and plans being postponed or even cancelled because … life happens and I have to compromise on my career goals and personal priorities, and that’s how I have formed the belief that I am not a rich person, and that I am not in full control of my life. So, my definition of being rich does not involve having a certain amount of money, but having enough time for certain important tasks and career plans in my life.
That being said, I can’t manifest more time for myself, as the same amount of time is given to everyone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year – not even a millisecond more for anyone, at any location on this planet (well, people at some locations may seem to get extra daytime[5] at some points during the year, but the same amount will be deducted at another anyway). What does differ, however, is how each of us perceives the concept of time and what we choose to do within the same amount of time, to make us feel fulfilled and abundant. That realisation is enlightening, isn’t it? People can be poor in terms of money, but they are given the same amount of time every day, which means we are all inherently born rich in time, not money. The time we stay on this planet, sadly, differs across living conditions, which may be restricted by the amount of money we have, depending on where you are, your diet, your sleep, and your well-being. So, if money is not the real culprit for your poor health, maybe it is time poverty that is. In hindsight, I should look at my own time account and see how I have spent my time budget. This begs another pair of questions: “How much do I have left in my time account for this life?” and “How should I spend this amount of time I have left for this life? Whether it is a lot or too little, I can’t save time from this life for the next, but I can accumulate good karmas, instead of bad karmas, for my next life. This nonmaterialistic philosophy may help me justify how I have allocated my most productive hours to materials writing, lesson planning, reading, flower arrangement, and my cafe business[6].
You, and even I, may be wondering why I was writing this mini-essay. It may be a sign of my need to let out what has been going through my mind and what is going on there. Maybe I just need to release my thoughts and feelings, through writing.
Thank you for reading my ramblings. I hope that I haven’t tortured you too much. But don’t worry, I’m not usually this talkative, even in writing.
If you enjoy reading this or find something worth discussing further, feel free to reach out to me via my contact page.
[1] I Will Teach You To Be Rich in 10 Minutes
[2] Introduction to the Art of the Dutch Golden Age
[3] Daily Arts
[4] Flowers in a Glass Vase
[5] Daylight saving time
[6] My cafe business