As we vacationed for a week in a nice tropical climate, we treated ourselves to nice dinners, beach walks, and cool rentals (vehicle/ house).
It's always tempting on vacation to fantasize about your life in a different place with different money and different living conditions. Oddly enough the biggest factor we leave out in these fantasies is ourselves. The things we cherish about our life usually can't be found on vacation.
I saw plenty of people this week that appeared to have money. At different points they became bewildered, upset, and walked around with a scowl.
They were living in the shoes of my fantasy, yet they were unhappy. Still dissatisfied by the things of the lowly average person like me. Perhaps there's more to it.
There's a mentality that equates to actually living your life in a satisfied manner. Basic virtues like patience, humility, kindness, can become lost on people that have paid their way through impatience. They've paid their way into convincing themselves their time is more important than everyone else’s.
Expensive cars are awesome. They're fun to drive and look at. But what's the expense for that lifestyle?
It just further confirms that happiness cannot be bought. It doesn't live in a Maserati, or in an oceanside mansion.
As I arrived home to my cloudy and chilly climate, I sat watching my kids roll around and destroy the living room. They had a joy wrapped around their faces, and it had nothing to do with the size of the house or the weather or the car in the driveway.
And I was instantly reminded that I'm happy.