We all worry about money. Do we have enough, how can we get more, will there be enough to retire and the list goes on? In fact, the amount of money that one possesses is often used as the barometer for how valuable their life is. However, when you think about it, money is only a means of bartering and exchange that was created so long ago, way after life itself was created. It’s only value is that which we place on it and when it becomes the most valuable thing in our life, then somewhere along the line we missed the boat.

We know that we all need money to survive. It allows us to have shelter, sustenance, necessities and comfort. But at what point is enough, enough? Just how much do we need and at what lengths will we go to get it before we finally learn that is isn’t money that will bring us the rich life that we are looking for?

When I was growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money. My mom and dad both worked to ensure that my brother and I were provided for. We always had a roof over our head, clothes to wear and food in our stomach. We couldn’t afford designer things or extravagant events, but we always took vacations and always as a family. Whether we were on the road going to visit my aunt in Pennsylvania, camping out at the lake or simply at home together, we lived a life that was rich in togetherness, caring and love.

As a family we never needed to spend all our time wondering how to get more money, because we had what we needed to survive. Small things were big to us and we used our creativity and ingenuity to do with what we had to make our lives whole and complete. Sometimes, I think that not having the world laid at our feet was the very reason that my brother and I grew up with compassion and caring for those that were in need.

When money is the basis that we use to value our life, the chance that we will never have a full and complete life becomes even that much greater. Having money often creates the need to have even more and our whole life becomes about only doing things that ultimately meet that goal. When we realize that having a rich life actually has nothing to do with money at all, it is then that we have the best chance that we will live the life that we so richly deserve.

Mornings with Ron is available as a podcast at anchor.fm/morningswithron or on iHeartRadio, Apple or Google Podcast, Spotify or most podcast sites.