If I were a rich man

I want to be rich.

My reasons for desiring a state of monetary surplus, however, will probably keep me from ever having very much.

Most people who strive to increase their funds seem to be trying for things I’m not looking for or already have. I’m not looking to use money to elevate my status above others. Sure, like anyone, I have some desire to be looked up to. However, people already praise me for my talent in various fields. Plus, I have a little sister who’s always trying to emulate me in some fashion – and believe me when I say you don’t need any more status than the adoration of a little sister. It’s a high honor, with plenty of responsibility attached.

A lot of people seem to be trying to find happiness through money. They believe they can fill some gap in their lives by being richer. I already have a good amount of happiness in my life. I have family, I have friends, I have creative outlets and a kind of inner peace attained last year upon reflection of the five wonderful years that had passed since the day I’d planned to end my life.

In the song “If I Were A Rich Man” from Fiddler on the Roof, the singer indicates he wouldn’t work. That’s not me, either. I never want to stop working. I idolize people like Georges Remi – better known as Herg%C3%A9, the creator of Tintin – and filmmaker Robert Altman. These were people who worked until the end of their lives. I want to be like that. I’d even like to do some teaching, in between projects, after I complete the stories I first set out to tell, years ago.

No, I don’t want to be rich for these reasons. I want to be rich so that I don’t have to think about money.

I want to be rich so that I can be generous. I want to buy relatively expensive things from small, locally-owned stores. I want to leave large tips at restaurants. I want to send money to charities and charitable projects. I want to be able to send money to friends in need. I want to make enough money that I actually owe taxes, instead of the government owing me a refund. I know that last one sounds strange, but I believe in taxes. I believe in progressive income taxes, especially. I believe that people who have more should give more, and I’d like to be one of those people.

I want to have enough money to not need more all the time. I want to have enough that I can do things for people, for free, and have the time to devote to whatever it is.

I get myself into so much trouble, as things stand, because I’m constantly doing things without thought of money. I get in over my head because I can’t dedicate myself fully to these things; I have to spend too much time concerned with money.

I dream of an ideal world that can never really happen – because rich people don’t get rich by thinking like this.

There are probably a lot of people who start out thinking the way I do, who strive to earn and earn so they can get to that point, so they can reach that ideal world where they can be generous with their prosperity.

Unfortunately, people don’t get rich by spending, giving, or being generally free with their money. People get rich by scrimping and saving – innocent terms that can be easily transformed into stinginess and hoarding once the original motive is lost. It’s not money that changes people. It’s the path that takes them there.

Ultimately, it’s not easy to get rich – and even harder to stay rich – if the reason you want to be rich is so that you can let your savings bleed out.

So, if I were a rich man?

It probably wouldn’t last.