KIRO NIGHTS

Gee: What does it really mean to be truly wealthy?

Jul 8, 2019, 12:27 PM

We don’t compare experiences in the same way that we compare things.

You can buy a big house today, and there’s always going to be someone who says so-and-so’s house is bigger, or it costs more, or it’s on the beach.

The one Father’s Day I will always remember

Buying a new car? Great! But pretty soon someone will be quick to tell you that they have the next year’s model, or theirs has this-or-that, which your car doesn’t.

As someone who has seen a few young men go from zero to millionaire, I have watched some chase material things, just for the sake of one upping someone else.

Where is the value in that?

This past week, we celebrated Independence Day. Many of us went to celebrate with friends and family, and we saw comparisons of a different nature.

“I make the best ribs, hands down” someone said in my Facebook feed. I saw another interesting online dialogue from my friend who claims his mom’s mac and cheese is the best.

But the one sentiment that caught my eye was the person in my Twitterverse who simply stated that time with family and friends was “priceless.”

I couldn’t agree more.

We all have an idea of what “rich” or “wealthy” is. For some, that is a number or a level of fame.

But we are blessed to have individual bank accounts of experiences. Rare, raw, unscripted unique experiences. These are the things that define us, make us, and mold us. They shape how we walk, how we talk, and how we act.

I know someone is going to say “Come on, Gee, you can’t pay the bills with a memory of Memorial Day.” But hear me out.

I mention my father from time-to-time. And although I wish it were different and that he was still here with me, he is no longer. The time I had with him is now priceless. The lessons, the wisdom, and the time with him is something I can’t replace at any cost.

Jewelry? You can insure that if it is lost. Cars? Wreck them, get bored of them, and buy another.

But I cannot buy another minute with my dad.

Without our fancy cars, our houses, and vacation houses, jewelry, and for some our planes — who are we? I would say we are the sum of all of our experiences, not the sum of our wealth and possessions.

How Doug Baldwin changed my life and influenced my family

So when we gather as family or friends, or when we have those magical unique moments with the ones we love, be it our partner, spouse, or children, we all hold value to these moments that no currency can match. They are dear to us like a treasure you cannot sell or compare at a market.

So my friends, the next time you are gathered among your family or loved ones, take in the moment. Remind yourself how blessed you are. Remind yourself that the people around you are treasures that nobody else can have.

And if you say your mom has the best mac and cheese, I’m going to let you have that one. Because your mom made it, not mine, or anyone else’s. There’s a value there that nobody else can match, no matter how hard they try.

 

KIRO Nights on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to kiro nightsTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 7 pm for KIRO Nights with Jack Stine.

KIRO Nights

KIRO Nights

machete...

Matt Butler, KIRO Nights and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

The tale of a local hero and his machete

Nafi Quatamin owns the Salena One Market in Tacoma. Like many small stores in the area, his market has been targeted for robbery.

1 month ago

Image:A Mexican Mariachi band surrounded by heart-shaped balloons awaits the arrival of a couple's ...

Matt Butler

KIRO Nights on dating rules, timeframes: How long is too long to wait?

Deborah Graham's mention of the rule of threes provoked some polar opposite opinions from listeners.

1 month ago

smart phone...

Frank Sumrall

Skorheim: ‘I’m not going to give my kids a smartphone’

"I think it's very dangerous to give kids smartphones at too young of an age," KIRO Nights host Jake Skorheim said.

3 months ago

Image: A rest area sign advertising free coffee can be seen in the state of Washington....

Jake Skorheim

Skorheim: How do you feel about WSDOT’s $10M bathrooms?

WSDOT says the agency needs $500 million to fix their 47 aging rest stops throughout the state.

4 months ago

Image: Fireworks go off at Mount Rushmore National Memorial on July 3, 2020, near Keystone, South D...

Matt Butler

Which artists, groups belong on Seattle’s music Mount Rushmore

KIRO personalities debated and discussed the music that defines Seattle and what artists belong on the Mount Rushmore of Seattle music.

5 months ago

bob rivers...

Matt Butler

Spike O’Neill reflects on 25 years with Bob Rivers amid radio HOF induction

There began what would become a 25-year Seattle radio legacy with Bob Rivers and company bringing "Twisted Radio" to morning drives.

5 months ago

Gee: What does it really mean to be truly wealthy?