YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THIS RICH MAN SAID

LET THE SPIRIT OF HIS COMMENT GO FORTH TO EVERY RICH PERSON IN THE WORLD

But first---some background:  He lives in the Santa Fe area at the end of this dead end road

In this fine adobe house he built himself.

powered completely by this array of solar panels he installed himself.

I visit every year or so---we've been friends for 40 years.

He has many of the toys that rich people have:  A hot tub---

A Sauna he built,

a cool shaded portico

An electric car he built into an old Mazda

A woodworking shop to dream about.

grows vegetables in raised containers.

(Uses 90% less water than ground crops)

makes compost.  Two barrels needed---one is filling , the other is "cooking".

A hammock for relaxing

A full scale country kitchen.

Stairs to his private quarters

And here's the man himself in his great room.  He built all his furniture,

Installed all those giant ceiling vigas.

My friend was not always rich.  When we were in New Orleans together, he was the poorest in our circle of friends.  A modest inheritance of a few thousand was all the luck he needed.  Frugal living, good investments coupled with building and maintenance skills made him a rich man. You would not know it by his modest lifestyle---He is content with simple pleasures---reads, cultivates, builds,  philosophizes.  He took me to a meeting with his philosophy group.  I had the pleasure of engaging  a 96 year old philosopher---can you believe it---having a keen mind at that age. I asked what these guys had in common.  The answer:  They are all Unitarians.  My people.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES: Now I will tell you what the rich man said that I hope will resonate around the world.  We were about to enter a theater--I was getting my money out.  He stopped me and said: Randy, "when my money has eroded down to about your level, I will let you pay your way----but until then---whatever we do together--I want to pay for."  And he did ---and he has---and I will allow it.  

DO YOU AGREE SWEET PEOPLE??   GREAT WEALTH SHOULD EVOKE GREAT GENEROSITY.  

I have resolved to pay his generosity forward--for often I relate with folks far poorer than I am.

And I will make that same speech to them--and pay their way.

I SAY TO ALL MY READERS----BE SENSITIVE TO THE WEALTH GAP WHEN YOU SOCIALIZE WITH YOUR FRIENDS. Take opportunities to awaken the generous you. 

ONE MORE THING my rich friend told me:  "I'm a loner--easily irritated by intrusions on my privacy----you are that rare guest that somehow manages not to irritate me or disrupt my lifestyle."

AAAAH  THAT MAKES ME SMILE.  How do I do it?  Glad you asked:

http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com/2012/10/only-rvers-can-be-perfect-guest.html

WHAT DOES "HAVING A LIFE" LOOK LIKE?

MY SISTER WONDERS IF I HAVE A LIFE---A MEANINGFUL LIFE.  In dark moments I have asked myself----and doubted.  Yesterday I asked a busy ant (I really did)if she had a meaningful life. She said that she never considered the question---and would I excuse her---she had much to do. And off she went to gather the bird seed I had strewn nearby.  Ants can't and people rarely do consider whether they have a meaningful life.

I've not posted lately--not sure why.  Anyway, here's what I've been doing: Here's the life I have:

Met a fascinating lady---Kat--who astonished me in a hundred ways.  Not least in her culinary arts but also in her dancing.  (beautiful--unselfconscious)  She may be the sanest person I've ever met.  She introduced me to her set of friends: "Freethinkers" they call themselves and allowed me to sit in on one of their sessions.

She is certainly an "autotelic" personality--because she generates her own meaning. Let me illustrate!

Her back yard is a fairyland.

As is her small apartment.  Not shown is her flower garden and her party/meeting area. She organizes events with hundreds of people---leads seminars all over the country. What a pleasure to get to know her.

What surprised the two of us is the extent we shared values.

One day we went to Sedona where I revisited this famous statue of Sacajewea

She has no money problems but as a hobby makes and sells jewelry

On another day I took my friend Laurie to meet my friend Pat---she played guitar for him.

And he returned the favor.  I enjoy connecting people with common interest.

One day I  explored an abandoned ranch.

Came face to face with a young coyote who stayed awhile and looked at me.

see him in the center?

OOPS--that's a fox--not a coyote--thanks Ed.

Then it got hot in Cottonwood so I went about 40 miles and 3000 ft uphill to Flagstaff.  (sooo much cooler) This view from my door shows Mt Humphrey with snow--elevation 12,600 ft---highest point in Az.

Several of my friends assembled here to enjoy the cool.

Two weeks later, some of us moved to this historic spot---Cinder Lake.  It really is a lake of volcanic cinders.

And right here is where Neil Armstrong and other astronauts practiced for their moon landing.

And then one day another old friend arrives .

Yes it's my guru friend Wayne Wirs.  

I note the latest  tweaks to his live-in van,

One of which is this easy chair replacing the passenger seat. (a table slides out for convenient dining)

He wanders the nation in splendid comfort and lives under the radar of public notice.  For practical purposes he is invisible. 

He's a slippery and unpredictable guy--so I quickly assemble some friends to  "catch the flavor" of him".  He obliges with an hour interview and previews his latest book.

check him out:  here        He stayed one night then vanished.

These folks were living in the woods nearby and I managed a short interview as they were leaving.They have 3 dogs and a lot of gear--including 8 gallons of water.  They mostly walk their bikes back and forth to Montana--about 1400 miles.  She is a Cherokee maid  and he a retired riverboat man.  They've been traveling together for 9 years.  I say that they "have a life"--and a fairly rich one at that---challenges to cope with--daily changes to experience--reasonable comforts---and most of all THEY HAVE EACH OTHER. 

Saw this odd sight in South Phoenix--knew I'd found a "meaning maker"---A man with a life.

Sure enough, he has a life---a busy one--what with collecting cans--keeping his carts functional--making camp in a nearby draw.  Was something of a philosopher:  told me he would not work for another because the arrangement is inherently exploitive. He wakes up with things to do---places to go.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES:  I suppose one has a life if they are attempting to do a thing they want to do; go a place they want to go; be with a person they enjoy.

I have a more detailed answer in a post dated June 4, 2007: How to generate meaning