2022

7/31/22Nickel

All Is Right In The World Again

7/30/22Home

And Happy

7/29/22"You'll Never Be Rich"

While we were away in Portugal, we kept hearing about the Mega Millions jackpot back in the US and how it had grown to over 1 Billion dollars. Friends texted me. Neighbors pinged me. My brothers and sister group chat was excited talking about it. Even the news in Portugal couldn't escape it.

Of course the same conversation always pops up whenever winning the lottery is discussed — "What would YOU do with all that money!?" And for me it's always the same answer — set all my family and friends up for life, what else is there to do with all that money — especially money I got by being lucky?

Thinking about that is also when it hit me, something a friend said to me a short while back that's been stuck in my head ever since they said it, "You'll never be rich". At first I was taken aback by it. Hurt. I got defensive. Upon reflection, the next time I saw them, I asked them to explain what they were thinking when they said it, and they didn't even remember uttering it. That assured me it wasn't malicious or derogatory. I feel strongly that after thinking about it more and more that conclusion was merely echoing what I would have done above. If I had a ridiculously absurd amount of money I would give most of it away. Don't get me wrong I would absolutely buy some very nice things for myself and certainly for Lili and the kids, but after say 50 or 100 million dollars does your life get exponentially better with 200 or 300 or 400 million dollars in a bank account? I can't think it does.

So yeah, I'd give (most of) it away. Set up trusts for my kids, annuities for my siblings and their families and Lili's family too. Yearly payouts for my friends. I'd gladly pick up every tab. Nothing would make me happier than to see all of them enjoying life and not having to ever worry about money again. I know it would make me feel like the richest man in ~~the world~~ Bedford Falls.