Priceless Things

The priceless things in the world are those things beyond material comfort: the appreciation of art, music, literature, friendship, love, experiences shared with others, moments of accomplishment, understanding or spiritual enlightenment, the joy of helping someone in need.  Money cannot buy these things. Ironically, money may be a prerequisite for experiencing some of them, because if one is spending all one’s time obtaining basic food, clothing and shelter, then obviously the finer flowers of a person’s development and experience go unbloomed, wilting before they have a chance to blossom. Noteably, wealth cannot buy culture, kindness, intelligence or class in a person. If a person has all these qualities and is wealthy, they are lucky. People are sometimes held in awe for their great wealth though when they are bizarrely lacking in basic human qualities. Money as an end in itself is a sickness, as a means to accomplish and experience things it is an essential tool.