The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
~ English proverb

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greed

noun
\ˈgrēd

Definition of greed

: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed

motivated by naked ambition and greed

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The first question that comes to mind when I think about the topic of greed: Do we blindly emulate what we see (especially what is portrayed in the media) or do we follow another path?

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There's So Much More to Life than Work, Sleep, Repeat

There is so much that is just barely hidden behind the surface but we don't question because our lives are filled with busy-ness. I know, I raised two children as a divorced mother. Even if we didn't have a lot of money or things, I wanted and gave my children a full and loving upbringing. I am a proud mother of two fully formed individuals in a world that still makes little sense to me on the macro scale.

I think something important is lost when we never give ourselves time and space DAILY for reflection. A break from various facebooks, twitters, and their ilk can not only give you a break from the constant demand to produce the next popular entry, it can give you time to reflect.

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Some of your questions may look like this:

• What happened today that I would do differently? Why?
• Did the goals I made this morning get accomplished? Why or why not?
• Could I have given more time to my partner or others that I saw throughout the day?
• Do I feel recharged by what I do daily or drained? How can I take better care of myself to then take care of others?

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No One Wins with Greed in the Hearts of Men

I have been thinking a lot about the proverb posted at the beginning of this post. Really it can be quite unsettling to think that even "good intentions" can lead us in the wrong direction. But then, what we think at first are good intentions might not be so after further reflection.

When I initially think of greed, I think of the hoarding of money. And we see a lot of that today as the 1% continues to take away from the very poor and outcasts of the world. Ridiculous weather next to abject poverty looks like obvious sin. But what about the less obvious and maybe even more insidious greed of our time and attention to our communities and their needs?

We have been taught for several decades through the media that great wealth and power can be obtainable by hard work and dedication. I believe now more than ever that this has been a fairy tale. And beyond the fact that there is a glass ceiling where the plebeians can never ascend past, why should we give our life to a single goal which only enriches ourselves and maybe our family? Are you ever happier when you have more money? Is it ever enough? Obviously not with the very rich.....since they are always trying to control and own everything under the sun.

Think back to when you were the happiest? Was it ever because of your money or wealth? Or was it because you had loved ones around you?

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If We Have Enough, Then We Can Help Others

Find your joy. What do you love to do? Share it with others. If you don't need something and it is still useful, give it to someone who needs it.

Give your time to a homeless shelter. Walk dogs at animal rescue shelter. Visit the elderly on a regular basis. Find what needs aren't being met in your community and work with others to improve the lives of others. By giving your time, you will gain more than you could ever imagine.

Greed can show up not only as hoarding money but also our time. Why not step away from your various screens on the daily to not only reflect on where you are right now, what you have done or not done in the past BUT ALSO what you would like to do in the future? My hope is to plant a seed for future generations. Be that example of what a fully formed human can do by spending a little time with those that have less. You will grow immensely by you sharing your gifts with the world. It's worth a try, isn't it?

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Be Well and God Bless!!