When is Enough, Enough?

[Rick Pursell]

How did you feel when you learnt that Ponzi scheme perpetrator, Bernie Madoff cheated investors out of US$65 billion (65,000,000,000) of their hard earned money? Madoff incidentally, is now residing in somewhat smaller government provided accommodation, with a 150 year sentence to contemplate.

Then how do you feel about the CEO of a United States investment company who received US$69million per year as a salary package, while it was obviously going down hill?

It is not a question of how many dollars (or any other currency) that anyone can earn or spend in one lifetime; it is a question of when is enough, enough?

If the money is put to good use helping others to live more healthier, productive and happier life, then sure, go ahead and make as much money as you can, for this is a humanitarian cause much needed at this time. And we see guys like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett with their vast wealth, making sure that it gets put to good use for the good of all.

So what is the root cause of this greed; this need to amass great wealth associated with a fear that there will never be enough to go around or fear of losing what we do have?

This is the work of the human ego; that small set of cells located in the left hemisphere of the brain that runs on fear. So, fearing that there will never be enough money, or that it may one day disappear, the greedy person tries to amass more and more wealth until they are consumed by the idea that they would be incomplete without it. They have totally identified their wealth with who they think they are and of course, this is an apparency; we are much greater that all of these concepts of ourselves that appear in the mind.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with money, it like everything else, is energy. The problem lies with our identification with money or lack of it, as being who we are. “I’m exceedingly wealthy” or “I’m broke” may be statements about our financial situation, but they are not who we are.

We are much more than our physical body, mind, emotions and life stories that we tell ourselves. We are spiritual beings having a human experience and playing the game of Life.

Are you playing it to win, or lose?
Rick

[Rick Pursell]

Thanks Clive,

Indeed, I share your sentiments. There is nothing quite like connecting to another human being or beings, to recognise the presence of ourselves in their Presence!!

Thanks for sharing your happiness

[Clive Wilson]

Nice one Rick.

As many have discovered, the less we have the less the pull of the ego to worry or identify with it. But the amount is not what matters. It's our attitude to it.

There are lots of spiritual things that could be said about your posting but for whatever reason, I wanted to simply say something about happiness and happy times. Mine are often associated with the quiet friendship of others, often after a job well done (but not always) and often around a simple fire, sharing a drink and something of each other in honesty and abandon.

Happy days.