by Todd Genge

Created on: January 29, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

"The world revolves around the almight dollar", was a phrase often spoken by my father. "When you turn 18, the bills never stop coming", was another. I found out exactly how true those words were. When I turned 18, the bills started coming and I can tell you they never stop. As far as the world revolving around money, we all know the truth in that. It is sad, but true.

Money brings freedom, but it does not bring happiness. Money without the accompaniment of love is empty happiness. In 1999, I became rich from a settlement over the murder of my father. Someone actually put a price on the worth of my father's life. Being a young man, barely eighteen, I had no real choice in the matter. I agreed with those around me and signed papers I could never take back.

I became rich, with the ability to buy anything, and go anywhere I should choose. I felt intense guilt at the source of the wealth. I bought everything I thought I wanted, and went anywhere on a single whim. I donated to charities and did every good deed I encountered in an attempt to pay my pennance and even out my new found materialism.

I soon became aware of the change in people around me, envy, hatred, lust. People who had never given me a second thought, were suddenly eager to spend time with me and hear what I had to say. It was absolutely pathetic. Every thief, swindler, and "Barbie doll" around me came out to take a crack at me. I was stolen from, betrayed by those close to me, and guilted into any number of scams. I had never known how many actors, and bad ones I might add, were lurking inside of people I thought I knew.

I rented a two bedroom house(completely oversized) to live in by myself. At that age the idea of purchasing a home, never occurred to me. I filled that house with eveything you could imagine; new furniture, paintings, antiques, fitness equipment, top line appliances, and electronics to satisfy any desire I had. I bought everything I had always thought I wanted.

One day while sitting on my new couch, I had an epiphany. The only thing I wanted, was the one thing I couldn't buy, my father's life back. I was sitting in a house filled with things that would make anyone happy, and it didn't do that for me. I then realized that all those belongings meant nothing without love. All they did was make me feel empty. I realized that without love, nothing else matters. No material object could ever fill that void. I can tell you realizing that made me happy. I then proceeded to start getting rid of all those things, whether it was giving them away, or selling them. I gave money away, and bought things for people that I thought would make a difference in their lives. I had found my soul again.

It took me 3 years to get rid of those belongings and that blood money. I can honestly say I am a much happier person today. Now I am not saying that the world does not revolve around money, because it does. What I am saying is just that it does not bring happiness. Life is about being happy with the simple things, having enough money to feel free, and provide a nice life for yourself or your family. Life should not be about the pursuit of money to gain happiness, but about gaining freedom to enjoy time with the people who make your life worth living.

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