Thanks! Yours is just lovely! I remember another quote from my dad when I was really young (I forgot its source), is like ‘the real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.’

This always pops up in my mind, reminding me to pursue my dream which is to do something meaningful rather than solely for money

Look forward to your next article!

Timothy

Just to play dueling quotations, here’s one of my favorites on the subject:

True riches mean not revenues;
Care clings to wealth; the thirst for more
Grows as our fortunes grow. I stretch my store
by narrowing my wants.

We are not poor
While naught we seek. Happiest to whom
high heaven
Enough–no more–with sparing hand
Has given.

Horace, Ode 3.16
Translated by Stephen Edward de Vere
http://www.merriampark.com/horcarm316.htm#DeVere

Thank you for the gift of your comment about my Giving Gifts article.

Write again soon.

Kathryn

Thanks for your sharing!

Many of us often forget one basic concept in Economics that money is a tool of exchange in society, and it means nothing without being used. Some of us involve ourselves in the game of pursuing money, seeing mounting up money as a goal or a kind of achievement.

I think you are very right that money with too much leisure could be just worse as money without leisure – lacking goals and meanings in life would be miserable. This fits perfectly with one of Chinese wisdom teachings on 中庸之道 (the doctrine of the mean), which is to strike for balance on everything and avoid being extreme. If one spends his/her life blindly runs after money but got no time to spend, he/she would be wretched, as what Shakespeare wrote in his play “Measure for Measure”, “If thou art rich, thou’rt poor; for, like an ass whose back with ingots bows, thou bear’s thy heavy riches but a journey, and death unloads thee”. I really look forward to seeing more positive psychology research on the topic of spending money and happiness. It is more than interesting but very meaningful to every one of us.

Once again, thanks for your feedback and comments. Have a happy and fruitful new year!!

Ps. Kathryn, your article about giving gifts is great, all of us (all translators of the Chinese site) love your piece. It comes just in time in the festive seasons of Xmas and New Year, and offers us guidance and wider concerns on sending present to our beloved ones, thank you!

A friend of mine who was working for a big law firm once told me that he had lots and lots of money — but no time to spend it. So maybe money without leisure brings little happiness.

And probably money with too much leisure has its own problems of lack of structure and meaning.

Do you think perhaps we have ideas of money that are too one-dimensional?

Kathryn

It’s now Christmas, an occasion for us to share our love sincerely. Here, I would particularly like to thank my family especially my parents who loved and blessed me unconditionally no matter where I am and what I do. I also wish my gratitude to reach my teachers and fellows from SJA, from CUHK and from Aston who have made remarkable notes on my development. Lastly, to all my friends and people who love me - it is hard to express my appreciations in words but it will always be in my heart. THANK YOU! Wish you all Merry Christmas and a happy and fruitful year in 2008.