“Free Money, Take What You Need…” 

Hey, there’s nothing wrong with wanting more in life, that is human nature.

In fact, everywhere you look online you see ads like these showing people how to earn more money…

And I get it. People want more. There’s nothing wrong with that. As long as you don’t forget about the big G… gratitude.

What’s the big deal about gratitude?

Well, without gratitude, you can’t find happiness. That’s right, gratitude for what we already have is where true happiness forms.

I realize those are just words, and many people simply don’t take them to heart.

So in today’s post I’m going to do something a little different. I want to share a video that my wife showed me today — an interesting, yet somewhat disturbing social experiment…

Did that video stir up any emotions in you?

I know it did in me. It angered me to see people with so much already, taking more than they need. Those are the people who may never know true happiness.

And then the last person in the video made my eyes water.

He reminded me of a personal experience my daughter shared with me recently…

My daughter Sarah goes to school in downtown Providence and there are quite a few homeless people in the area. While waiting for me to come pick her up, she offered her sandwich to a homeless woman sitting on the sidewalk.

The woman kindly declined, stating she had already eaten. But she was happy to have someone just sit and talk with her awhile.

I’m proud of my daughter for wanting to help the woman. But I’m even more proud of her for sitting with her and chatting for 20 minutes. As she got to know her she learned that the woman has many friends in the area.

She spends most of her time at the church and is often seen walking downtown with a smile on her face and a friendly greeting to everyone she meets.

She also learned that she is suffering from stage 4 cancer.

The woman has literally nothing but a half-empty backpack, she’s dying and yet she is happier than 99% of the people in the city. Including the people who step over her on their way to their important meetings.

She truly has something that many people never will never have.

With all of the craziness going on in the world today, it’s easy to focus on the negative and lose sight of what we have.

With that in mind, I’d like to share my favorite quote that puts it all in perspective…

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust, Novelist, Paris France

Here’s hoping you and your family have a happy and grateful weekend.

~ Jim Daniels – BizWeb eGazette