HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

 

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

Two authors, Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut were at a cocktail party hosted by a very wealthy person. Heller asked Vonnegut ‘How does it feel to know this guy makes more money in one year than you will ever make in your lifetime with your books?’

Vonnegut responded by saying ‘He will never have something I’ve got’.

Heller was caught off guard and asked…’What is that ?’

Vonnegut replied..’Enough’.

So, how much is enough?

We see families of very wealthy people torn apart even though they have more money than they can ever spend. We read of lottery winners who are tormented by their massive riches and it’s responsibility and are broke again in a few years.

I say again, how much is enough?

Who needs or can use 15 cars, or 15 houses scattered over the world?

Who has 150 or 200 close ‘friends’ to occupy those vast buildings or otherwise they would seem cavernous and very lonely?

I have been around a number of wealthy friends over these past 80+ years and believe me when I say, they know who the suck-ups are and those who only take and mooch never giving in return. Most of my wealthy friends were also paranoid in thinking that everyone only wanted to be their friend for access to their resources. They found it exceedingly difficult to truly trust anyone.

If you are wealthy enough to own 15 cars and love to collect them as a passion, then good for you. I appreciate the fact that you have the resources to do this, but more things mean more potential issues, doesn’t it?

What does it take to keep them operating, how to secure, how to maintain, how to insure?

Owning a boat is the same, here comes a hurricane, watch out. Divide the number of times a year you actually go out in your boat by the amount of money spent for insurance, upkeep, fuel, food and dock fees. Better yet, don’t do that, it will only depress you.

I have a friend who owns 2 Bentleys, I love him like a brother, but he has to worry about where to park since jealous people key his car if it’s in an unsecure place. He pays extra for personal parking spaces in crowded areas. No one bothers an old truck, and we get there just the same, don’t we?

We watch those old English movies where the waiters or staff are always standing around waiting to pour the wine or another heaping amount of asparagus. I wonder if they really acted in this manner or is this fiction? It would seem weird to me to have servants listening in or hearing our family or marriage discussions. Besides, who wants to eat dinner dressed up like you do for a funeral? I eat dinner some nights in my pajamas. I suppose that would be frowned upon in many societies.

Now that I am retired, I find I am vastly over clothed. This means I have too many suits, sports coats, dress shirts and power shoes. I probably need 1 suit and sport coat and a good pair of black shoes. I can’t find any place in a town of 257 that requires me to dress up. Blue jeans, boots and a long sleeve shirt just about covers any place within 100 miles of here.

Same with our house, we have 1 guest bedroom. So, no more large groups can stay with us. But you know what?  We get to know people in smaller groups than we did when there were gobs of them for the weekend. You have time to talk and share and actually hear other people who are really conversing with you.

I am a blessed man, I have enough.

See you next week, Merry Christmas…. Peary Perry