Have You Tried Our Wealth Barometer?

There are moments. Aren’t there?
Precious moments.

Precious moments that can whisper past us.
Precious moments which teach us what we’ve so easily forgotten.

This week I’ve experienced such moments.

Seated, in Florida, at the bedside of my funny 97-year old Daddy.

My “Pa Bear”, as I called him.
Moments enough to tell him how I have loved him.

Moments to recapture the many, Sunday evening, hilarious phone calls of recent years.
Moments to let him know what a privilege it has been to be taught by his example.

Moments to see his eyes light up.
Moments to admit that they light up most when my wife – Wendy – and his youngest granddaughter – Briony – step into his sight.
(Sons are, obviously, rather boring!)

And seated there, I remembered the ditty I learned sunrises and sunsets ago.

“When I was 5… my Daddy knew everything.
When I was 15… my Daddy was an idiot, and clearly knew absolutely nothing.
When I was 25… I was stunned at how knowledgeable my Daddy was becoming.
When I was 45… I looked hard at my Daddy. And realised that he knew everything (that mattered).

The crippling truth is that we have so much that distracts us.
Don’t we?

Everything and everybody is screaming (skilfully and mesmerisingly and relentlessly and crushingly) for our attention.

Technology only serves to multiply the power of that “everything and everybody”.
This is the age of distraction.

Knowing when to turn off The Trivial (the beeps and clicks and chimes)…
Knowing how to focus on what truly matters – in business, in life…
That separates the ‘Pretty Good from’ the Great.

Meanwhile, the joke is…
The desperately-hilarious-if-it-wasn’t-so-life-diminishing reality is…

Only a tiny percentage of it will ever matter.

Ever.

To love deeply.
And to be loved.

To feel that our life has mattered.
Has changed this world of ours for the better.

To feel an undercurrent of fulfilment and real joy.
And to bring joy to others.

To leave a life enriched and uplifted…
Simply because they’ve been in your presence.
Or been given your rapt attention.

To face every temptation and frustration and heartache.
And still live nobly.

I believe this is what it means to be Rich!

As you look at your last 30 days of busy, busy activity.
How rich are you today?

I know how to measure this richness. This wealth.

My Daddy taught me.