Saturday, August 5, 2006

Money Changes Everything

Oh, Fair New Mexico. Cyndi Lauper is playing one of the local casinos next month and I'm sorely tempted to go. However, the rational side of my brain tells me I can't be frittering my money away on things like concert tickets (or those killer shoes I bought yesterday with the skull on one side and a girl on the other-- designer is a former tattoo artist) because it won't be long before I'll need money to buy trees and shrubs for landscaping, or pipe so my brother can weld a fence for me. I think I'll be able to get into my house, but I don't know if I'll have one bit of furniture to put in it... thank goodness I've got my old yardsale standbys. I'm not complaining, just a little overwhelmed.
I've been thinking a bit about money recently. Everything costs. Some things have prices that go beyond the nickel and dime, though. In the past couple weeks, I've seen people brag about how much they make, others get mad because they don't think the wage their coworkers are earning are fair (too much, too little). I've seen people get jealous and try to take advantage of others, and some people assume they're being taken advantage of. In the past I've known people who always have a hand out, and you know that if you buy them lunch you'll not see that money again. It generally doesn't matter, because it feels good to give, but I've noticed those people are the first to remind folks who owe them money to pay up. But you just can't judge, because they probably need it worse than you do.
I've watched money change people I know and people I know from a distance. There are those who like to always one-up the next guy, and those who want all the money for themselves but won't pay their workers squat. Maybe the reason the love of money is the root of all evil is because it is a symptom of a greater problem-- selfishness. That seems to be the true root of every problem. At the gym the other night an old friend was telling me that if he had unlimited funds, he'd run for public office and change the world, but when I asked him what he'd change and how he'd do it, he couldn't give me any answers.
You know, I'm pretty fortunate that I'm able to make it by. I work hard and I enjoy being a productive, contributing member of my family. I'm glad I take home a little paycheck, but I think the lesson here is money won't completely fix anything.

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