FEELING RICH

I read an interesting article this morning about what it takes to make one feel rich. In the author's case it was getting an old frying pan and cleaning it up. She went on to cite other things that can make one feel rich---like being able to study in a university and enrich her knowledge,for others it might be just a nature trip.

Her point: what can make one feel rich need not be expensive or cost a lot of money.

It made me think of my own cheap"treasures." What have made me or make me "feel rich?"

Having known what it's like to commit one to a vow of poverty has given me a different perspective of what feeling rich means.

For example, I vividly recall an afternoon in a slum area in Lucena City, where we were doing mission work. I was a novice of the Redemptorist Congregation at the time, and that daymy co-novice and I decided to have a chat with the landlady of the house we were staying at. She owned a sari-sari store at the ground floor of the house, and this was where the neighbors would hang out and catch up on the latest gossip.

I recall us spending that afternoon just telling stories, sharing information about ourselves, cracking jokes now and then...and just having a fun afternoon,such that before we knew it evening had set and it was time for us to prepare for the mission Mass.

I could see that in spite of their surroundings...these people were genuinely happy and content!They were "rich" inspite of being "poor."

So for me feeling rich is not about possessing something...but being able to do something with what I possess.

It's not about owning the state of the art Canon EOS..but being able to create stunning photographs with only an A620 Powershot.

It's not about owning a Picasso or an expensive painting..but being able to paint something myself.

It's not just about "having" a wife and kids...but spending fun,happy,meaningful,loving moments with my family & really enjoying those moments (like the cookfest I had the other evening with James, my second son.)

It's not about just having travelled to a place...but travelling with my wife and having shared the experience together.

I guess,in the end, what makes us "feel rich" depends a lot on how we define "what feeling rich" means!