What is important in life?

Many young people are being told that they must get educated, and work hard in order to make a lot of money. Very few are being told about what really matters in life.

Society does distinguish between rich and poor. People do like to associate with the rich and famous. They like to be photographed with them thinking that would make them better than others. Many join country clubs, golf clubs, and spas and try to hang out with people who make small talk and have little depth to them, but who are famous or rich. Many feel important because they are lawyers or doctors or work in the stock market. Many do not realize that fame is fleeting and that at any moment everything could be taken away from them.

So many parents push their children to play sports. They want their children to win and to become major sports figures whether it is baseball, football, tennis, ice hockey or whatever. These children are being overextended to the point where they do not get to enjoy their childhood.

Very few parents have time for their children. They work all day and hire a nanny to raise them. The money that they make goes to the nanny, the landscaper, the house cleaning crew, the mortgage and so on. They do not have time to take their children for walks, talk to them or see them grow up. They miss so much of their childhood and yet they think that they are being good parents because they have a big house and can pay their bills. On weekends the parents try to make up for their absence during the week. They shower their children with material goods because they feel guilty that they abandon them during the week, and the cycle goes on.

What matters is who you are as a person. What is it that makes you unique? What is it that makes you so loving and caring? What can you do to contribute to society? Do you lift up people and make them feel good?  Are you kind to others? Do you give of yourself to help others? It isn’t always about money. It is what you do. It is what you say. It is how you live.

After losing David, I realized that he knew what life was all about. He did not care much about material things. He did not care about collecting anything such as stamps, coins, antiques, toy cars and the like. He loved nature and took care of a few house plants. He was available to help everyone. He was a true friend to so many. He gave of himself and whenever he could, he also gave of what he had. He always was generous with his tips or birthday presents. He was a man of character. Character is what counts in life. This is what is important. This is what impacts lives and leaves a legacy that cannot be forgotten.

 Let us therefore invest in things that remain forever. Let us invest in people and in lives that could be inspired by how we live and how we give of ourselves to others. Let us be a role model to younger generations inspiring them to follow in our footsteps so that our legacy can continue and our society can thrive.