Money shouts, “I’ll enrich you” and wealth whispers, “I’ll empower you”. But aren’t money and wealth the same. All money is surely wealth but all wealth is not just money. Money is only the physical subset of wealth. A rich but HUMBLE man is a wealthy man because he has the wealth of grace and wisdom.
And through his prudence he realizes that money does not make people respect you but your attitude does though money might make others to bootlick you. There are different parameters of measuring money and varied interpretations of wealth. A man with 1000 bucks in his pocket will naturally find the one with 10,000 bucks richer. A man with 10,000 unit currencies will look upon the man with 100,000 units as rich, so on and so forth. So who do we call rich. The man with 10,000, 100,000 or 1 million units. Richness is a relative concept. There is no set scale to term people rich but we could still define a wealthy man. A man, irrespective of 10,000 or 100,000 units in his pocket but SATISFACTION IN HIS HEART and HUMILITY IN HIS HEAD is certainly wealthy.
What does it exactly mean that money shouts and wealth whispers. It is like the saying that goes, “One who proclaims his deeds acknowledges his ignorance”. In this age and time money holds immense importance in our lives. Earning incessantly more is the prime goal of most of us. It is a perfectly normal and worthy goal. But our blatant disregard for values and ethics in meeting this goal makes it a potentially hazardous path to tread in the long run. THE MIGHT OF MONEY OVERWHELMS US. And it takes no time for this material abundance to create a conceited and self-glorifying man out of us.
The role of wealth begins here just when vanity begins to set in. Wealth keeps a check on us that money does not get the better of our minds. Mind that is the seat of intellect and rationality should not get swayed by the lure of money. The wealth of wisdom silently saves us from being conspicuous and keeps the feet planted on ground. Money is such a strong force that getting carried away is very probable and usual. That is why it becomes all the more NECESSARY TO BE WEALTHY WHEN WE ARE RICH.
As money comes, so grows the love and desire for it. It is a magnetic pull and we are automatically drawn towards it because it brings with it luxury, pomp and a superficial power. Prodigal bank balance will manifest itself as a colossal house but true wealth will add a hut for the homeless near that huge house. Money only shouts extravaganza but wealth whispers generosity as well. Money goes as publicized political donations because it helps to gain political mileage to meet personal ends. But wealth also spends itself as scholarship to that needy student.
Charity is that when the left hand does not know what the right hand gives. MAGNIFICENCE IS NOT THE RESULT OF MONEY. IT IS THE EXPRESSION OF WEALTH OF HUMANITY. There is a further distinction between money and wealth. Bounties of money make us feel invincible and supreme but a man of wealth very well understands the transient nature of money. Money has feet to it. When and how it may desert us is quite unpredictable. And our naivety lies in exalting ourselves on the security of this disloyal object. People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will not forget how you made them feel. This sense of empathy towards others does not come from affluence. IT IS THE WHISPERING OF THE SELF WHICH VOICES FROM HUMILITY, HUMANITY AND CONTENTMENT.
An untrue statement cannot become veracious simply by being repeated numerous times in a loud voice. Similarly money despite its vociferous shouting of pomp and power in the physical realm of our existence will not rise above the soft and subtle commands of the soul. We need the sensitive whisperings of the wealthy heart to stop the clamoring of money from jarring our sensibilities. Someone said, “MONEY CANNOT BUY HAPPINESS BUT IT GIVES THE CHOICE TO SUFFER”. When money is looked upon with the right perspective it becomes part of the wealth and can bring joy to us and others. So let money be wealth and shouting be whisperings which leaves a more serene world around us.
