When I was younger, I hated the expression money can't buy happiness. It drove me crazy. Fitting in made me happy, and new clothes helped me fit in, but new clothes required money. Hanging out with friends made me happy, and all my friends were going to the movies, but movie tickets required money. Water slides made me happy, and once a summer I begged my parents to go to as many water parks as we could, but water parks required money. As far as I was concerned, money was the No. 1 necessity when it came to purchasing my happiness.
This summer I worked two jobs and rarely had a day off. My friends would complain and would say I'm working too much, and my parents would say I deserved a break, but I shut everyone out of my head. I convinced myself I was working so hard to pay for my tuition and for spending money I might need during the school year. It's true, my paychecks went into school books, a new backpack and toward money I might need in the fall, but I realized I was lying to myself. I was working so hard because I thought the money would make me happy.
How wrong I was. What it took for me to be happy this summer had nothing to do with money. The satisfaction I had in myself after working all summer holds a greater value to me than all my paychecks combined. In all seriousness, there really is only so much money can buy.
1. It can't buy a good work effort.
2. It can't buy a kind heart.
3. It can't buy compassion.
4. It can't buy true friendship.
5. It can't by endurance.
6. It can't buy intelligence.
7. It can't buy true class.
8. It can't buy happiness.
I was jealous at the start of the summer. As friends posted pictures of their beautiful and glorious beach days, I was mopping sticky froyo off the floor and constantly refilling toppings. I wanted to yell and scream and point out the unfairness in the world, but when I stopped feeling bad for myself, I realized I was gaining something much more valuable than anything monetary.
I was such a brat for being so concerned with making money this summer. I am beyond blessed to be in the situation I'm in, and I needed a reality check and a wake-up call. Life will always be unfair, but no matter what it throws at us, money should really be the least of our problems.
