By: Iyo Embong

“Help me to seek not so much to be understood but to understand, to be loved but to love with all my soul.” (St. Francis of Assisi)

How many people have lost their health, reputation, family, friends, values, and even their very souls for the sake of money? Is it worth it all?

Money has a way of blinding people and making them believe that they are invincible.  They begin to see everything and everyone with a price tag, i.e… everything and everyone can be bought.  In doing so they demean people. What they don’t realize is that they degrade themselves.

I wonder how people who are accused or branded as thieves, liars, or cheats feel? Or do they still feel or care at all? Money has a way of numbing the conscience and values of a person.

Some people have so much in their pockets. The first question is, how did they end up with so much? Through hard work? Okay! Through dishonesty? No way! The second question is, how much are they sharing? Some people spend a whole lifetime just getting and hoarding. Such people may live successful but not meaningful lives.

Forget what the world owes you, and concentrate on what you owe to the world.  A person who thinks that the world should understand him/her because of his/her misfortunes or deprivations in the past will never grow up, and will always be burdened by unnecessary complaints and heartaches.

I have met all sorts of people in my lifetime, and I can say that the happiest people I have met are those who know how to fade away, while the most miserable are those who just get and get. This may be scoffed at as sour grapes, but I still believe that success is measured not so much by what we carry in our hands but by what we carry in our hearts.

This world has a different set of values and goals. The choice is ours. The end result too is ours. In the end, when we choose the path of righteousness, we have that peace which the world cannot give or take away.

By the way, those who take the righteous or the straight path must realize that it is also the path of humility. Righteousness without humility is self-righteousness which could lead to unnecessary arrogance and pride.  What I know is that while righteousness cannot be compromised, that does not mean to say that it is unbending and uncaring.

The story is told about a hold-up man who went behind a well-dressed man, stuck a gun in his ribs and said: “Give me your money!” The man responded: “You can’t do this. I am a Politician!” “In that case, give me my money,” the hold-up man replied.

I’ve had my faults and failures, but I have tried my very best. I am not gifted with many talents, but whatever talent I have, I tried so hard to develop and put it into good use. We are to live productive and meaningful lives, not wasted, vain, empty, useless, irresponsible lives.

We should share our joys and sorrows, and give each other freedom and space to grow. The gift of respect and understanding, to love each other no matter what, no matter when. Rejection is part of our life, including persecution. Welcome to humanity!

There is that stretch, that lonely road which you and I will have to travel alone in our journey. At that point, no matter how much we want to, those who are dearest to us cannot accompany us. In that final stretch, no amount of money and power can save us. The biggest losers in this world are those who have lost their very souls in their pursuit of this world.

By: Iyo Embong