When What You Own Starts Owning You- A Reality Check

When What You Own Starts Owning You- Time For A Reality Check

Article by Jim Killon

I was once of the opinion that being a billionaire is about as immoral as pedophilia, Nazis and trafficking human organs on the black market . Untold millions are suffering in the world and these people are sitting on a solution, content in their apathy, untouched by the world's suffering. However, money, in and of itself is not evil, it's only dirty paper. And tool for good? It certainly can be, it depends on how it is used. Like fire, it can keep you warm or it can burn your house down.

As jackpot lotto winners and many of the annual multi-million dollar professional athletes have demonstrated, wealth does not change a person, it just makes them a larger version of what they already are. There are billionaires and millionaires that have promised to share their massive wealth over their lifetimes. Many do it in a private way to benefit the destitute of the world through organizations that distribute materials to the poor. They realize how much can be accomplished wit h a small contribution. Mosquito nets for malaria infested areas cost a few dollars and can save thousands of lives, for example.

Do you want to know what I find most disturbing? People who are having an affair with their money. I actually believe that they lay in bed naked and roll around on top of hundred dollar bills.

How much is enough? Once your monthly bills are paid, the house is paid off, you are driving your dream car, vacation anywhere in the world you choose to go, com pletely debt free and still have enough to live in the lap of luxury for the rest of your life, even if you live to be 400, money is no longer a tool or a means to achieve comfort . It becomes a black hole that begins to suck you in and takes on a force of its own. It owns you and every dollar you spend, is one less dollar that you have. That sick sense of panic in the pit of your stomach is called "Bag Lady (or man) Syndrome." The sickness forces you to em brace that feeling of having it all and yet feel it is never enough. Forget the poor. After all, it 's not your fault , not your problem .

Money only makes you more of what you already are. Compassionate? Charitable? Or apathetic? Some straddle the fence and do just enough to say they did something. A conscience buffer. Dipping your toe in the water is not swimming, is it ? The menu is not the meal. The world needs viable solutions. Why not step up? You can if you want to. Wealth is not always counted in monetary terms.

People laughed at me, scoffed that I used my life savings to set up Changes for New Hope t o reach destitute kids. They saw photos of a poor man in the outbacks wearing my coat or my shoes and asked me what was wrong with me. I didn't give anything away, I explained, I just shared. Just shared a little bit of my abundance. Ironically, I quickly became wealthier, happier, free and fully alive. Are you ready to join me? Check out www.changesfornewhope.com, for yourself.