They say that Diamonds are a girl's best friend. I say, if the best friend you have is an allotrope of carbon you are living a sad, sad existence. I am aware that I am taking this statement a bit too literal, but the point I am trying to make is that wealth cannot and will not buy you happiness. We have all heard it before, but I am going to tell you from my personal experience and observations how this is so true.
My mom had met a woman on Pelee Island who was collecting stones with her son. For some reason the woman felt like opening up to my mom and explained how she was from the US, here on vacation with her boy. She felt like they needed a vacation because her marriage was and had been falling apart. She had married a very wealthy plastic surgeon. She admired his ambition, the security he provided and also receiving many luxuries that the average woman would never have. What she was not receiving was the kind of love from her husband that a wife deserves. He could give her anything material she wanted, trips and vacations to Europe and exotic destinations, but what she wanted most was to be loved. She admitted that she did love her wealth but she would trade it all in a heartbeat to have the kind of love she so envied in some of her friends' marriages. You see, the woman's husband had a mistress. The woman knew about her, but she chose to "accept it". It's been years since her husband has been continually unfaithful and my heart goes out to her. I'm not sure why she has put up with it, perhaps she feels trapped by her wealth, that she can't give up her security, I am not sure.
I am not saying that people with less money will automatically have wonderful marriages since this kind of circumstance does not just happen to people at a certain income level. What I am trying to point out again is that it is true.. no matter how wealthy and secure you are, it cannot make you happy.
Personally, I have never been happier in my life than I am right now. I know Jake and I won't have a lot of money to start out with, or who knows... even end up with, but I know that we are happily in love. I have really thought about my mom's advice: since we are starting out with nothing it gives us the perfect opportunity to not get a lot. It sounds funny, but what she means is that we can really think about what we need in our home. The more you have, the more time you have to spend cleaning it or repairing it or stepping over it (that's if you really have too much and its overtaking your space) I am not worried about having things because I know God will provide what we need. He knows what we need more than we do. An example of this is that the generous gifts Jake and I have been receiving!! First of all, one night when Angie's parents were over at the Barney's, Jake and I opened the mail and found out we had to put a 100 dollar deposit for housing within that week! now, money is tight and we could have scrounged for it, but God was gracious and Angie's parents very generous and without knowing we needed to find 100 bucks they had given us each a graduation card with 50$ each! we were both very happy and excited to see how God was taking care of us. He cares even about the small things. Which brings me to another example. As I said, Jake and I are little church mice and have been on the receiving end of many generous gifts. Our favourite right now is THE COUCH! we have 2 smaller love seat couches which were scooped up from friends when school let out for the summer. We had been wanting a bigger couch (like a three seater) but wasn't worried about it. Angie's parents knew someone that was giving away their couch and told them that we might be interested, so Jake called them up. We got the couch and its so cool because its a sectional, which I should explain Jake and I both had been wanting to have since we admired his grandma's couch. But this couch is so much more than even that! It sits five people, its big and comfy, its a sectional so it will fit nicely in the corner, it has a pull out bed for our guests, it has a recliner AND it has vibrators for a massage!! HAHA so cool, oh and I almost forgot it also has a pull down drink holder! I can't believe I am this excited about the couch! I haven't even seen it yet, but Jake assures me i will love it! I feel as though I have gotten off topic. Our life is what we make of it. Jake and I share a very special bond that no one can ever break and a love that goes deeper than anyone can see or understand. God has brought us together and we will always be there for each other, experiencing life, its ups and downs, together. Jake makes sacrifices for me, moves to sit beside me in a restaurant when I am sad and listens to me, very patiently I might add. My wonderful Fiance is so much more than I could have asked for in a husband and best friend. He is so faithful, he knows what I am like on my good days and bad days and even worse days and he loves me on all those days and lets me know it. Jake believes that if we continue to remember to Cherish each other we will have a great marriage. That along with prayer will lead us in the direction of a very happy, playful, committed, joyful, fulfilling, lasting marriage. I have never stopped thanking God for choosing Jake for me. I am the richest woman in the world.
