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Why Do We Have What We Have?
I have asked myself this question many times. To what end is my striving to invest, build, amass, save when death is always a breath away? One part of my brain tells me that it’s the reasonable thing to do. It is what I need to do to afford a comfortable life, live in my own home someday, afford good colleges for our children and drive a Lamborghini that I own. The other part of my brain reminds me that worldly possessions amount to nothing when I am gone. People who had no clue of the effort it took to grow that wealth could squander it all in one day and not bat an eyelid.
Upon closer reflection, I have come to the conviction that my efforts at creating wealth serves a dual purpose — to make my life easy in the present, while ensuring the continuous sustenance of my preferred lifestyle until my last breath.
But there is one little problem. I am a man of little needs. An apple in my stomach, and a bottle of water might be all I need to get me through certain days. On some days, a small mat on the floor of my living room is all I need to get through the night. Other days, I don’t ride for weeks, and my motorcycle gathers dust.
On those days when the excess capacity created by wealth challenges me, my consciousness reminds of one more consideration. And this consideration is the root driver of all of my ambition to keep acquiring even though my…
