Where I live - almost nobody has a lot of their own money. They are usually being supported by someone somewhere, or they are in perpetual debt, or they are just making it. [Besides this writer who has a booming business selling manual typewriters, Israeli asimonim, public telephones - and is a water carrier on the side to make a few extra bucks. I have the market cornered, no other water carriers around].
Here in New York I meet people I know in shul and elsewhere who have millions, tens of millions and even hundreds of millions of dollars [I know a lot of rich people...]. They seem to be in relatively good health. Life is GOOD. My question is - why don't these people seem particularly happy. Some more so, some less so. I want to SHAKE THEM LIKE A LULAV and say "BE HAAAAPPPPY AND GRATEFUL!!!! You have SOOOO MUCH. You can see, hear, eat with your mouth and not with an IV, walk, talk, laugh and sing. You have a beautiful, comfortable, spacious, apartment or house. YOU CAN BUY ANYTHING YOU WANT WHENEVER YOU WANT!!! You can have the pleasure of helping soooo many people just by signing a check - and not feel the difference. Why do you seem so glummmmm? DANCE IN THE STREETS!! Do you know how many BILLIONS of people could only hope to be in your situation in their WILDEST DREAMS??!"
But I say nothing and just become filled with compassion that people can have so much and yet still feel so mediocre - at best.
All I can do is give them something that I have that they need - a smile and hopefully a hug.
