Real Life Lessons

Once upon a time, there lived a young and wealthy woman who lived in a beach house in a beautiful seaside holiday resort. She had everything her heart desired and looks that would put any man in a flat spin!

Her house was filled with beautiful and expensive things which she kept on buying. Diamonds and jewellery were in excess and the car was the latest and most expensive that money could buy. Everything was custom made and being invited to one of her social events was only a dream to most.

People envied her, men wanted to be with her and most were jealous of her luxurious lifestyle.

We will call her Melissa. Melissa spent her time jet- setting across the world and spending money on anything that she wanted. Her family came from wealth and she never had to work a day in her life!

I met Melissa in the Isle of Capri, where we sat talking about our travels. I didn’t have the money that Melissa had and it took me forever to save up for my holiday, in fact the coffee I sat drinking with Melissa was not a part of my budget but whilst walking in Capri on a beautiful and hot summer’s day, I noticed the view from the coffee shop and had to sit down and take it in.

It was absolutely breathtaking and the sun sparkled over the water as an ocean liner appeared over the horizon. It was magnificent and I could have sat there for hours staring out at sea.

Melissa joined my table because it was very busy and there was nowhere for her to sit. We introduced ourselves and she told me where she was from and that she came over to Italy because she was invited to view the winter fashion collection in Milan, this was a stop over to visit a friend.

I found that all she could talk about was the money that she was spending and the five star accommodations that she had frequented but noticed that she had very little regard for anything else. In fact, she had never noticed the beauty of Italy and she didn’t pay any attention the beautiful view that was directly in front of her.

I was absolutely amazed that someone who could go anywhere and do anything had never really experienced what I had experienced. Sure, I love clothing and fashion and my heart skips a beat at the chance of living it up in five star resorts but what I really appreciate the most is the little things in life, you know the ones that are free!

The old buildings in Italy that were built thousands of years before our time and are still standing today, the gondola’s in Venice with the sweet sounding songs by the men that taxi you around, Michael Angelo’s amazing talent that leaves mesmerises me, leaving a permanent imprint in my head.

Delicious food that is fattening but so amazing! These are things that Melissa paid no attention to.

While we spoke about our travels I realised that money cannot buy you everything! There are people that can be blind sighted by wealth because to them luxury is the most important thing and to me being able to see those breathtaking views whilst drinking a cappuccino made in Italy was fantastic.

So I decided to make a list of all the things that I had taken for granted and jot down the little things in life that mattered to me:

1. The beautiful blue ocean with the white horses and the sparkle of a rainbow across the horizon and the feel of the cool water on my body.

2. Feeling the soft white sand between my toes

3. The smell of the rain, the feel of it on my skin

4. Green trees and beautiful flowers, blossoms in Spring

5. The roaring of thunder

6. Animals and their incredible instinct

7. A smile from a stranger when you are feeling down

8. The delicious taste of a home cooked meal

9. The stars in the sky on a dark night, a full moon

10. The sunrise and sunset

11. Laughter of children playing in the sun

12. The unconditional love from your family

13. A kind gesture or help from a stranger

14. Talented people that can paint, sing or dance

15. Dreaming and sleeping

16. People who help others without wanting anything in return

17. Music

18. Being able to love and to give love

19. Faith of whatever kind

20. Being able to forgive

If you do not have peace, happiness and love in your life, if you cannot take a look around and appreciate all that you see, hear or feel than you are not really living at all.

Stop. Take a look around you and notice the good that people do, the beauty that you see and the give out the love that you have to give! Appreciate that home cooked meal that your mom probably spent hours making for her family in the excitement of Christmas and getting to spend time with her family. Listen to her stories and be grateful to have her in your life.

Life is short and appreciating the little things in life is what makes us human.

I was forced to stop Melissa from bragging about all the things in her life and I asked her about love and other things but with everything that she could buy she couldn’t buy half of what I had experienced in my life. A close family filled with laughter, support and love. A meaningful relationship that didn’t involve money relations and job experience and it seemed as though Melissa had received none of those things. I gave her my list and told her that she was missing out on a few little things and when I stood up and said my goodbyes, I reminded her that we were once school friends and that my family had also come from money and had lost it all. I then told her to take a deep breath and have a look at the beautiful view that she had missed for the entire hour of self involved conversation and to have that moment imprinted in her head to remind her of the day a stranger tried to teach her that if money goes the best things in life are free and all around her. I learned that money cannot buy happiness and by losing it all it made me appreciate all the little things in life, which most people take for granted or miss.