What does it mean to be rich?

I posted a fun bit about what it would be like to win the biggest jackpot in lottery history. It was fun to write. It was inspired by the office lottery pool. People would gather and talk about what they would do with the money. We certainly built camaraderie over the past few days. We learned a little bit more about each other.

In short we had fun.

But money is not what makes me rich. (Which is good because we won a whopping $24!)

I am wealthy beyond my imagination because I have been blessed with so many wonderful people in my life.

I am so lucky to have this space where I can share my thoughts and feelings about how I have gotten to a very peaceful place in my life. I really wish for every one of you that you can feel this calm and peace in your life, too.

My family has never really read any of my writing. Not until this blog. I mean they have read letters I’ve written and things like that. But outside of school assignments and the corresponding teachers and classmates, I can count on 1 hand the number of people who have read my stories.

I am so grateful to all of them who have read my posts. My Baby Brother gave me one criticism which I thought was the greatest compliment…

“You were around when the internet was born. You should have been the first blogger.”

That really could go either way. He is either saying I’m old or I’m a great writer. I choose to take it as a compliment. (Shhh. I know he really meant it that way.)

When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
-Bing Crosby, ‘Count Your Blessings’

Gratitude is a big part of how I find peace. It helps to remind that there are things in my life that are good. Even the little things. It helps to remind me that even when something is going not the way I want it to, there is something that is good.

So, what makes you rich?  What makes you happy?

At the end of the day, when  you fall asleep, what are the blessings that you will count?

Today’s blessings may be different from yesterday’s and tomorrow’s.

I am rich because I have my health, my family, my friends and my writing. I am made richer by every person who reads my writing. Whether they like it or not.