Some people think that they have all these answers, that they have found all these cheap tricks of faking out others into giving them a bunch of money for the “answers” to living a “good” life. But then you see what they promise is nothing but material wealth. It’s all useless to you when you’re gone. Material wealth is not a legacy. Walt Whitman once referred to despising riches; but in particular, material possessions are the riches you should despise.

That isn’t to say that material possessions aren’t useful, because they can be. Leaving stuff for your kids, friends, and family is all well and good. What I’m saying is that your life should never be about the accumulation of material riches. If you get them along the way, great. But if and when you do, use them wisely. Make sure that with them you leave behind a legacy of positive influence. Give others a chance to succeed with what you’ve left behind, not just with your material gains, but who you are and who you helped others to become.

~ Amelia Desertsong, November 3, 2016