What Money Can’t Buy
Welcome to the sixtieth edition of “In-Touch”. As always, I would love to continue the conversation so please let me know what you think in the comments below.
Story of the Week: “What Money Can’t Buy”
In 2019, my good friend Thales Panagides published, “Odyssey to the Heart”, his impactful exploration of true contentment. Returning to the topic four years on, he recently designed and delivered an inspiring workshop entitled “Retreat to the Heart”.
For their final exercise, Thales invited the participants to write down a list of things for which they felt truly grateful. In this way, he wanted to challenge them to delve deep into their hearts and identify the blessings that enrich their lives. As they began thinking about what to write, it soon became evident to everyone that the most cherished aspects of life are those simple, priceless treasures that money can’t buy.
Cathy noted her gratitude for having a loving family and supportive friends. Walid shared his appreciation of the transformative experiences gained through exploring different cultures and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. Stavros wrote of his delight at waking up every morning in good health and witnessing the beauty of a brand-new day. No-one cited any kind of material comfort — a house, a car, a healthy bank balance — although these can certainly improve our quality of life. Thales’ exercise gave the workshop participants an opportunity to reflect on the profound truth that, in a world that often appears to be consumed by the pursuit of material gain, the ‘best’ things in life are those that do not come with a price tag.
It was Coco Chanel who memorably stated that “The best things in life are free” (before jokingly adding, “The second-best things are very, very expensive!”) and, of course, Thales’ exercise is a powerful reminder that we need to recognise and appreciate the intangible aspects of life that can’t be bought — love, joy, time, good health, true friendship, trust, inner peace, loyalty, respect, wisdom and much more.
Words of Wisdom
The best things in life
“The best things in life aren’t things.”
Art Buckwald
A Question to Ponder, dear friend.
“If you had been at Thales Panagides’ workshop, what would you have written down as the things for which you feel most grateful?”
Let me know in the comments below.
Best Regards,
Michael R. Virardi
www.michaelvirardi.com
