What is wealth? What makes you rich?

[Love Life]

The BS Junior report thread got me to thinking (dangerous). A link between monetary wealth and happiness was drawn and then slapped down.

So I asked my self "What is wealth? What is being rich?"

For me, the answer is simple. Being wealthy and rich is sitting on the bank of the Walker River and eating a couple PB&J sandwiches with my family. Being wealthy is watching my daughter reel in her 1st trout. Being rich is seeing my family with clothes on their back, food in their bellies, and a roof over their heads. Being rich and wealthy is seeing my family happy.

Living a solid lifestyle and providing for my loved ones makes me feel wealthy. Having the love of my family makes me rich.

What is your idea of wealth? Of being rich?

[EMC45]

Mine match yours very closely. My 3 kids fed and well clothed. Smiles on their faces because they need not worry about meals or shelter. I really don't measure wealth with our fiat system of money. I measure it by my blessings (in which I am richly blessed) and strong family ties and love for one another. Enjoyable times with friends and family, a hearty laugh, restful sleep. This is all wealth to me.

[histed]

"Got a hump backed mule, a plow and a tada patch, eggs that are gonna hatch some day. Got the Lord up above and good woman to love. I'm the richest guy in the world." Money isn't wealth.

[quilbilly]

Living in our piece of paradise without a mortgage. Don't need much money for that. Having my own shooting range and fish in the creek helps along with the bees to pollinate our fruit trees..

[Love Life]

Living in our piece of paradise without a mortgage. Don't need much money for that. Having my own shooting range and fish in the creek helps.

Don't forget the lions!

[quilbilly]

The deer still won't come near our place after Penelope raised her kittens in back of the house last summer. For those who don't know, Penelope is an 80# mountain lion who had three kittens in back of our blueberry and potato patch. She not only kept the deer out of the garden last summer (best roses and veggies ever), she also kept the government bureaucrats out of our yard when they wanted to mess with my creek last summer. We owe her several favors if she ever comes back to have another litter.

[foesgth]

I once ran a yacht for a man who became an alcoholic because he couldn't get his net worth over 100 million. He would get up to 95 million or so and have a setback. I enjoyed sailing all over on his yacht he never did. I drive a truck that is over 40 years old and shoot my great-grandfathers Winchester and have a great time. As far as wealth I have 3 sons and 7 grandkids! I am feeling poor however. I seem to have some how squandered the freedoms I should be passing on to my grandkids. This bothers me and I am spending more and more of my time trying to earn them back.

[OeldeWolf]

I have never had much money, and have often struggled to just survive (18 years of child support, where you are deliberately kept under the poverty line, did not help). And becoming disabled has not helped that, recently.

Things that make me Rich, or wealthy: My kids and grandkids. The fact that despite all their mother taught them, they respect and care for me. The few friends that I have, including this forum. Some really interesting people I have been friends with, even if most of them are dead. That I have been able to sometimes help those who have had problems. That I have found out, through genealogy on my mother's side, that being independent minded and stubborn is a trait that can be traced back past Charlemagne. And probably is similar among the Native Americans that make up my father's background.

There are a few things passed down through family, that I take pleasure in. Not many, though, lot of hard working but not rich folk before me. But I have always seen myself as caretaker, I guess, instead of possessor. There are a few things I have that I hope to pass on down the line, but mostly I am glad that I have passed on beliefs on hard work and honor, to my son and my daughter.

[jcwit]

Much of what you say LoveLife, those are very important. In my case the kids are grown up, and the grandkids are much the same. No great grandkids at this point.

But I also will add enough finances that if perchance I see a gun, rifle, reloading gear, Corvette, whatever I don't need to say, Man I wish I could get that, just do it and enjoy. All this within reason of course, and we all must place our own limits on our reason.

And again having Peace and total faith with our Maker & Lord.
Helping others less fortunate automatically with the above, IMO.

Works thru Faith--Not Faith thru works. There is a difference.


Oh Ya, There is an old saying, Cleanliness is next to Godliness!

[jcwit]

Sorry LoveLife for killing this thread.

[beezapilot]

One of my favorite questions! To my way of thinking there is "Standard of living" and "Quality of Life". They are not always dependent on each other, and can run an inverse ratio. I have a fairly low standard of living (garage sales & scrounging are my strong points) but my quality of life is exceptional. I have fun when I can and work when I have to. I kayak, bicycle, fish, hunt, enjoy archery & clay sports... and put less than 40 miles a week on my truck. Happiness is wealth. I've a friend who makes huge bank, 60 hours a week with commuting and travel, owns a boat that he rarely sees, is out of shape, looks 10 years older than he is, his kids are total strangers... high standard of living and the cost of that looks too high to me.

[ole 5 hole group]

I'll go along with you there jcwit - one has to have the education and skill sets to make a living. One has to live the best they can within their means and that means also saving for their retirement or working a little as they enter their golden years so we are self-sufficient and don't have to depend/rely on the gov or anyone else for our existence.

Making good money makes everything a little easier but we have been blessed with being raised in America where we can be who we want to be with enough effort and a little luck. Our parents gave us a foundation upon which to build and we in turn do the same for our family and make sure our grandchildren receive the same from our children.

Most of us here came from families who enjoyed recreational shooting, hunting, fishing, playing cards, sports, outdoor activities and competitions in various forms. We pass this on and we feel right with the world in doing so and if we had more money we would just spend it on things we are already enjoying, but instead of driving 20 hours to a spot on the map, portage to a location, camp and fish - I would fly into a remote lake and enjoy myself just as much and I would do it more often as well.

I also feel it's important for every male to enter the Armed Forces and be prepared to write that check to the country that offers him so much and to vote in every election to keep the values that have been handed down through the generations. Taking all this for granted has lessened us as a Nation in my opinion.

[country gent]

Here shortly today Im going to be the wealthiest man there is. My daughter is coming to visit this evening with my only grandson (second is on the way now) and we will play and He will snuggle up on grandpas lap. I have a few tootsie pops here for him. Hes grandpas boy and such a little character. Everything is "new" to him. birds. bunnies. wood chucks. all the animals and things we take for granted. Money is a poor measure of wealth. I had a wife that loved me 3 wonderfull kids and a family that worked and supported each other. Now thats true weallth

[HarryT]

Wealth = time. The older you get the more you wish you had more time. I've never seen a man on his death bed who prayed for more money.

[DeanWinchester]

I hate money and nothing about it makes me happy. It's just a necessary means to an end.
I don't dwell on it. I don't peruse it. If I won a 100 million dollars today, I figure 1/2 a million would carry me till I'm 60-65 (won't live much longer than that) and send the rest to St. Jude so some little one can see another day.
Piss on the pursuit of wealth accumulation.

I'm richer than bill gates or warren buffet just sittin on the lake fishin and enjoying a cold beer and peace and quiet.

[Superfly]

Money wont make you a man or a father or a husband.

[Sweetpea]

I'm a very wealthy man, I can open up my wallet and show you... MY FAMILY!

Money, well, that's a little harder to come by, just a means to an end.

[762 shooter]

LL,

I have played with the idea of winning the lottery. What would I do?

I realized that most of the things that interest and make me happy, is my normal life. Casting, gardening, reloading, grilling, shooting, woodworking, watching grand kids become sentient beings, appreciating my wife, parents and family, waking up in the morning to a good honest soreness, etc.

I might buy more land and a tractor you could ride instead of walk behind. I might help my family.

I'm not sure money would change much. Broaden my hobbies I guess. More time that I decide what I would do.

Would I cast if I could pay someone to do it? Would I garden, reload, or cook my own food? I like to think so, but you never know the depravity of a person with unlimited funds.

I'm one of the pitiful individuals that is happy. I don't want to travel. I don't want a fast car.

A perfectly cooked venison hamburger is sublime. A tomato grown from seed I nurtured is priceless. A reloaded round that becomes more accurate from my tweaking is satisfying. An egg from chicks I raised tastes heavenly.

How happy/rich/wealthy can you be?

762

[dtknowles]

I found the key for me after I retired the first time. Rich is a job you enjoy where you make a positive difference and a partner who got your back.

I worked a good paying job I did not enjoy for many years because I had a family to support and I was close to a pension. Kid grew up and the wife died. I was laid off so I decided to retire. I enjoyed traveling around a bit but a lot was missing. I have a new wife and a new job and those are what make me rich. I don't need the pay check and they both cut in to my shooting time but I would not change it much.

Tim

[Love Life]

Just musing today is all.

Money is not everything. It buys stuff that occupies my attention for a bit, but at the end of it all I enjoy the things in life that are free. A walk through the pinions, a hike up a hill, my daughter squealing because she saw a (insert animal or bug here), and so much more. The breeze on my face, a cool drink on a hot day. Ahhhh, the little things.

[MT Gianni]

For most of the worlds population, if you have more than one change of clothes, one pair of shoes, know that you will eat tomorrow, an income over $1500 US annually you are rich.
For me it is health, shelter, family, food and friends.

[Doc Highwall]

My wealth is my health!

[TCLouis]

Family and relatively good health.

There is NO GREATER WEALTH.

[MaryB]

Money is neither wealth nor rich. Money makes you miserable so I long ago quit worrying about it. Always seems the time I need a little more I get a little more work to do for a customer. Wealth is having lived life to its fullest while still giving what you could to others. Rich is the passing on to my nieces and nephews the joys of hunting and fishing.

And they all know the real fight now is for freedom. 5 are in the military right now out of the 13 and they tell me what they see happening in our country makes them angry. I talk to them and tell them we don't need anger, we need to fight but do it wisely, we can still make changes with the vote, with recall elections, by using alternative media more wisely to get the word out. That is passing on the riches and wisdom to the next generation. They all are wealthy the same way I was, enjoy what god gives us, give back as much as you can and pass it on to the next generation. I have 2 grand nephews already who got hunting camo blankets for their 1 year birthday! Have to train them young! My nephews had them with for the family deer hunt last fall. I went to the cabin for 2 days but hunting was out, neck injury and concussion said no shooting. But I got to enjoy family for a couple days, cooked up back straps and morels I brought with the night I left for home. THAT is wealth!

[jcwit]

I know very wealthy people how are very happy.

But while they are very very wealthy they also know the secret of loving their family & friends, and sharing their wealth with others.

Being extremely wealthy is not the secret of success and happiness, neither is the lack of wealth the secret of success & happiness.

Wealth & money is not the deciding factor.

[autofix4u]

I am a wealthy as a figure I will ever be. House paid off next year, married to my high school sweet heart, oldest leaves for Navy basic training soon. My next is graduating high school tomorrow, next one will graduate next year and the baby 4 years later. I still drive the same truck I did in high school and the wife's car has 200+ thousand miles but with 3 teenagers cars to keep up I will just have to wait for a while.
We have lots of fun together camping and canoeing, have a great extended family and great church. I don't think if I had a few million in the bank I would be any happier.

[buckwheatpaul]

My faith in God, my wife of over 37 years, friends, Cast Boolits, and our ranch.........thanks for the posting this question.....money is necessary but for us life is good and simple and rewarding......

[Bullshop]

There are some really smart folks here at CB. Sometime I am amazed at the depth of knowledge and understanding of a diversity of subjects that come up.
There was once a man that was more wise than any other man that has ever been. His name was Solomon and he became the third king of Israel. He asked for and received wisdom from God of a level that no other normal man has possessed.
Solomon may also have been the wealthiest ever or at least at the top. Solomon went about seeking fulfillment and pleasure of life through every means that wealth could possibly provide and finally came to the conclusion that all of it is vanity and vexation of spirit and at best brought only temporary pleasure.
He concluded his long term quest for contentment with the realization that to eat and drink and enjoy the work of your hands is the ground zero for human contentment.
Many people are of the belief that true gain in life is represented by a long list of digits on a bank account. In Gods word from the Holy Scriptures he tells us that "" true gain is contentment with food and raiment "". If we can be content with the bare necessities of life food, water, shelter, and clothing we have avoided all the distractions of the world that Jesus warned about in the parable he gave about the sower of seeds. If we cant be content with those basic things maybe we need to ask just how important all the other STUFF is to us. When our possessions become more important to us than our God we need to step back and re-consider. Remember the first commandment to love the Lord your God with all your heart, strength, soul, and mind. A friend once said to me, "" show me where you spend most of your free time and I will show you your first love "" I often go back to his words and have to ask myself am I giving God more of my time or even equal to other things I love or maybe less time? As I proceed on my walk at times I have to make adjustments to things when they get out of balance. Its real easy to get distracted by the cares of the world (seeds among the thorns). The more wealth one has the greater those distractions are and God in his word to us warns repeatedly of the danger.
So if we can just learn to be content with the basic things God promises to us if we first seek his kingdom and his righteousness just like Solomon figured out those basic things and to see the work of our hands are more meaningful than all that wealth can provide. Put things in the right order and peace, joy, and contentment will be the fruitful results.

[GRUMPA]

What is wealth? What makes you rich?

Being happy with what I have...And not being unhappy with what I don't have.

[osteodoc08]

What do I consider being rich and wealthy?

A happy healthy family with food in their bellies, clothes on their backs, and a roof over their head. Not having to worry about spending $135 for soccer camp for my daughter, watching her enjoy it and me seeing her run and play. Watching my boys growing up to be fine gentlemen. Looking over at my tired wife holding out 7 month old as she smiles and tells me she loves me. Waking up every day and being able to work. I am a very blessed man and consider myself rich and wealthy beyond words and I thank our Creator every day.

[mold maker]

At 72, I have been to, and done, most things this life has to offer me. Married 50 years a great woman who gave me two children and in turn four grand children is a blessing. We all live within hand shaking distance.
My bed is warm, and my belly don't growl from hunger, and my aches and pains are mostly from doing what I enjoy.
At the passing of my Mother I was gifted a sum of money, I had never enjoyed before.
The first thing I did was anonymously help a family, that I knew was struggling. Then I took my whole family to Disney.
God has allowed me to live a fulfilling life, with very few health issues, and the patients to endure the issues we have.
No man can show me that he is better off. Those who hoard money are always on edge, for fear of loosing it.
If your jeans have holes in the knees, it just lets the Spring air in. "Rich folks" pressed and fitted clothes don't do that.
I do not envy any man for something they have, because I have everything I need.

[ShooterAZ]

My primary wealth is my family, my friends, my faith, and my health. I keep getting richer though when I catch a big fish, have a successful hunt, or the like.

[Cornbread]

A good day to me is a day where nobody is shooting at me, I'm not shooting at anyone, and none of my friends have died that day. Being rich is simply having a lot of good days with more on the horizon. Being able to live where I love living, and being able to do the things I love to do, hunt, fish, and read. Everything else is just icing on the cake.

[Harter66]

Broke,outta work ,my Dad tried to bleed out through his throat 3x this yr, my grand daughter has a learning issue,I've 2 broken trucks demanding my attn.

I spent 6 weeks w/my Dad,he's ok for now. I went hog hunting w/a life long friend on the way home from Ar. Sold a couple of cords of hard woods and a 51' Colt for a 73' Colts precussion and a 58' Remmy. I got home to a good woman that spent a whole day butchering hogs and getting them in the freezer,and when the power grinders crapped out she ground the last 10# w/a hand grinder. Those 2 little grand daughters I'm raising were never so happy to see me home and are begging to go camping. Free fishing day is just around the corner I got a bucket of junk w/gobbs of 38 wad cutters in it,which works out for NCBS.
The sun came up , I have the parts on hand for the trucks now.
Seems to me I'm a pretty rich guy,I have a wealth of good friends,I have a rich family life and kids that will drop everything for family . I can't say a guy gets any better off than that,I bet Donald Trump and Bill Gates can't say that.

[knobster]

Wealth are those things for which you would not trade money.

[oldred]

Well I felt like I had become very wealthy indeed about 6 weeks ago when a guy gave me (as in free!) about 400# of wheel weights! About the same time Powder Valley had both AA4064 and Varget in stock at the same time and if that weren't enough I also got my order of Starline 45-90 cases I have been waiting on, yep it just gets gooder n, gooder!

[Just Duke]

Horses, saddles, guns, ammo, wool cloths, hats, boots. A place to hunt and fish. Like when I was younger.
Girls come in there somewhere.

[Garyshome]

Mostly all of the above!

[HollandNut]

Always had to werk , never been wealthy in the money sense .. We have been blessed beyond our wildest imaginations .. I have had might near everything I ever wanted at one time or another .. Our house burned to the ground May 4 2007 and we lost everything , except one set of keys to the truck .. I learned then and there that stuff is not important , stuff can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye .. What's important are friends and family , anything else is just extra dressing ..

I serve a mighty God , He will provide what I need , not what I want , tho' that isn't out of the question either ..

[MrWolf]

Wealth is the memories of your kids laughing in their sleep. Greatest sound I ever heard. Wealth is coming home and giving/getting kisses from your wife and kids and telling them you love them everyday - even now when kids are 22 and 20 and still at home while in school and not wanting them to leave. The money part helps as long as you don't let it consume you.

[daniel lawecki]

Friends - family and being able to help others along the way. And being in good health as well.

[shooterg]

The best job I've had to date is being PopPop to a 3 year old boy. Still like to win the lottery, but looking in the rearview mirror on a road trip one day and the wife(NaNa) and the grandson were both nodding off with smiles on their faces in the backseat. I'll never be richer than I was in that moment.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

For most of my life, my Father was the wealthiest man I know. My Uncle, whose net worth last I knew, was about 5 million dollars, was fairly poor in my esteem. Mom and Dad, who lived most all my life in a 12 X 55 foot mobile home, was by far the wealthiest couple I ever met.

Dad met Mom in the middle of the dark days of WWII, while he was back taking rest from fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. They dated for three months in the small country town of Kinston, North Carolina before he asked her to marry him. He returned to finish fighting the war while she stayed home pregnant with their first of four children they were to have.

After the war, he worked for the Katie Railroad and lived in Parsans, Kansas, where I was born. Raised my brothers and sisters there. They were always in love and always happy. They moved to North Carolina after my older siblings left home and I grew up there.

Mom and Dad were always in love and I never saw them fight, ever, not even once. I grew up, got married, went in the service and left home. Came back home to a Mom dying of Pulmonary Fibrosis. Dad retired from Firestone Tire Plant in Wilson, NC where he worked and took care of Mom till the day she passed.

The saddest memory I have of them is my Father talking to my Mother's grave with the pet names he'd called her all those years together. My Uncle, the one with the money, came by one day and told my Dad: "You are the luckiest and wealthiest man I've ever met."

My Uncle was right. Dad's gone now and in Heaven with Mom.

14 years ago, I got lucky and became wealthy like him. I met my wife I am with now.

I've traveled and met a lot of people, but very few have been wealthy by the standards of this story. All those material things, they don't mean much, especially if you're sick. Love, it's the rarest and most valuable thing I know of.

You're a lucky and wealthy man if you can find true love.

[Just Duke]

I feel lucky just to have a forum like this to hang out on.

[Love Life]

I had tea with my daughter tonight. I'm feeling like a gazillionare...even if the teddy bear got served before I did.

[Bullshop]

Please read from the book of Revelation in your Holy Bible two short versus.
Rev 2-9
Rev 3-17
DAVEINFLOWERYBRANCHGA
That is beautiful! Thank you!

[jcwit]

DAVEINFLOWERYBRANCHGA Not to offend anyone else, but that post of yours is the best on this whole thread.

Thanks from me also.

[Echo]

I read that one definition of "Rich" is having no long term debt and paying your bills by return mail. Man! I'm Rich!
But I had a great woman by my side for 55 years - I had 3 wonderful (and different) kids, but 2 have passed on. I have much of what has been declared above. I'm a fortunate man, and therefore "Rich".

[Recluse]

Men and governments can come in at any time to seize and take the material possessions we've accumulated over the years.

What they cannot take are:

• My memories

• My ability to enjoy what I have and not miss what I don't have

• My love for my wife and family

• My faith and relationship with God

:coffee:

[Hickok]

Having the Lord Jesus as my Savior, having a good wife and children, and good friends. Everything else the Good Lord gives me is a bonus, and I thank Him for it!

[plmitch]

Wealth and riches are just a matter of opinion. I've finally got all of my kids out of the house, changed the locks and my cell number before I die. To me that is priceless.