Money Can't Buy You Happiness

Wealth can make a person's mind work in many ways. Some may become more creative by becoming philanthropic and developing new projects to help their local community or a project in a third-world country. However, I believe that not having tons of money or even money to blow is what makes even more people creative.
I've never had a ton of money. Most of the time I don't even have money to freely spend on myself, so I'm forced to come up with new creations, new outfits, and ways to see things in a different light.



Not having wealth, I believe, teaches a person to use things they already have for a different use. Like above, you can take items that you thought about throwing away, like an old picture or mirror frame and some lace or corks and create a new jewelery holder or wall decoration.



Training yourself to think creatively like this and learning to see ordinary items in a different light can also increase your wealth because you would rather look for a way to re-invent an item/object rather than go buy something new that may be expensive. I believe that already having wealth takes this ability away from us because we would know that we have the money to access new items at any time.

It is not rare to come across a family that is happy because they work with what they've got even though they do not have much money.

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-being-poor-brought-family-closer-made-us-164427.html

I recommend reading the blog at the above link.
This blogger described how being "poor" made her family happier and brought them closer together. This made me realize that creativity doesn't always have to mean with material items. This blogger talked about how her family learned how to access resources. Being poor for them meant learning more. They had to do things on their own, reach out to the community and government resources. They learned how to "eat cheaply and creatively" by mixing foods together in order to create new meals. They came together because they spent time making each other happy, rather than buying materialistic items that could make them happy. This article represents the idea that "money can buy you something that'll make you happy for a period of time, but money can't buy you happiness." Money can't buy you happiness because it can't make you a happier person on the inside, it can only buy you things that can make you happy temperarily.

When you are poor, you learn to make do with what you have. You are creative with finding ways to do things in an economical fashion. You also know how to do without many things that other people consider necessities.

- A fellow blogger

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-being-poor-brought-family-closer-made-us-164427.html

If you're interested in ways that being "poor," or just not being "upper-class," is a way of living environmentally friendly, happier and healthier you should give it a read.

Money Can't Buy You Happiness

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.

When it comes to travel, I haven’t been out of Pennsylvania and Ohio except for twice. I have vacationed at Disney World in Florida when I was four years old and at Myrtle Beach when I was 17 years old. I wouldn’t say I’m sheltered because I haven’t been many places, though. For me, travel means escaping. You can travel a mile down the road to a place that is special and has meaning for you and it can become a vacation in itself.



My mini vacation will take place this weekend and throughout the entire summer. A group of friends and I get together and journey down to Jackson’s Hollow. The Hollow is a place where you won’t have any cell phone service, so no one can bother you, and you will probably be covered in mud, but the people that surround you won’t judge.



It’s an escape from reality for my friends and I. We can access the Hollow any time of the year, but there is a creek where we fish and the first weekend of Trout season is a true celebration. This weekend happens to be the first weekend of Trout season and I will be traveling to the Hollow to see everyone.

It becomes a place where we go to hang out, camp, make a fire, catch and cook our own food and enjoy each other’s company. Many of us bring our quads and dirt bikes in order to travel from campsite to campsite. The Hollow is hard to access with just a car and unless you’re riding on a quad or dirt bike you will need to journey around in a truck. There is a group of about 30-50 friends of mine that swarm the place this time of year and it is known that once Trout season rolls around, we will be there.

If you can image beautiful trees, green trails, walking and hiking trails, nature made rock walls (that I suggest you don’t climb, because you WILL get hurt), bonfires, a creek to swim, fish and wash off in, and plenty of people in their twenties, you can imagine Jackson’s Hollow. To many it doesn’t sound like a vacation or even a fun time, but to us it is a whole different world where we can just escape with each other and be ourselves. You don’t have to worry about being judge, looking good, being too loud, getting in trouble or not having anything to do. There is never a dull moment in the Hollow and if I could take everyone and let them experience what it is like to TRULY get away from society for a weekend, I would. You can go on vacation anywhere tropical, but you pay for things on vacation, you have cell phone service and no true escape of wondering what people think of you or if you look fat in a bathing suit.

Do not stand at my grave & cry; I am not there, I did not die.

Saturday, March 25, 2012 is a day I will never forget. Followed by a week that I will never forget. I gained strength this week. I gained love for other and received it in many ways. The feelings I was overwhelmed with were lifechanging. I gained friendships, but above all, I had to say 'see you later,' to a great friend.



Joseph Paul Schneider, better known as Joey, JoeJoe to me, or Broseph to many, passed away tragically on Friday, March 24, 2012 when he drowned in Canonsburg Lake after a night out with friends. Though it may seem like Joey was just some drunk who made a bad choice by jumping in a lake that died, he wasn't, in fact, he was the complete opposite.

Many people called him Broseph instead of Joseph because he was like a brother to many of his friends. He was a person that could always be counted on. He was a person so full of life and love for everyone and everything in his life.

This blog was about mentorship and although JoeJoe was not a mentor for me during his time on Earth, he is now that he's in Heaven. It is true that you don't know what you have until you lose it, and although I didn't really lose Joey because he's always with me now, I didn't realize what a beautiful person he was while he was alive. He truly was a gift from God for me. He made me realize that life is too short and that anything can happen to you or the ones you love at any time. He taught me to love the ones I have and let people know every day that I was thinking about them and that I care about them.

I cried for days and still struggle with the idea that I'm not going to see him until my time has come as well. I talk to JoeJoe often and I feel his warmth now more than I ever have. I have a sense of inner peace because he shows me signs that he is always with me and that I will always have an angel protecting me and my friends.

I had asked for a sign one day from him to let me know that everyone who is struggling with his death with be okay with time. It would be tragic to lose someone else because they couldn't deal with the situation and I wanted to know that wouldn't happen. At that moment, the radio started playing the song "My Wish," by Rascall Flatts. I believe that that song was Joey's sign to me saying that 'everything is going to be okay, I'm going to make sure everything is okay, don't worry.' "My Wish," was one of our graduation songs.

Joey has made me into such a strong person in less than a week and I have so much to thank him for. I have turned my life around because he has been such an inspiration to so many and I want to have that affect on others like he did. I have been going to church every Sunday, praying often for others and much less for myself. I've taught myself to be happy with the life that I have, but to never stop striving for more. Above all, I've been taught to love each moment of life and live it to the fullest because you never know when you're going to take your last breath. Make sure each move you make is one you can be proud of and make sure you love with all your heart.

"Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft star-shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die."

-Written on Joey's card that I received at the viewing. The last few words could not describe him more. He lives on forever within each one of the lives he touched.

Thank you for everything JoeJoe.
I love you, I miss you, I'll see you soon.