George Lorimer contends,
“It’s good to have money and all the things that money can buy, but it’s good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things money can’t buy.”
In reality, everyone likes money. It has enough power to determine happy or sad moments for some people. This happens partially because money can trigger your emotions. However, there are many invaluable things money can’t buy.
Money will allow you to experience the luxury of things like a Tesla, an estate, or first-class tickets to anywhere in the world. But, money cannot buy you everything. There are aspects of your life, yourself, relationships, and encounters that forever will be priceless.
So, what are 20 invaluable things money can’t buy?
1. Love
You must have seen this one coming because of how much it is preached throughout life.
Love is a genuine action with beautiful emotions that develops between people who know each other to an extent.
People fall in “love” for different reasons. Love is unconditional and keeps people in connection with each other.
Money may earn you attraction and attention, but love? Not at all.
2. True Friends
Everyone likes to have money because there’s almost no way to survive if we didn’t have a cent or two. And it’s only normal for people to associate themselves with people who are making efforts to make the money.
But sometimes, people are only attracted to what you have and what you can give; not who you are.
It works just like love. When your money runs low, true friends should remain.
3. Family
We all know that family consists of a father, mother, and children, so let’s consider the individual elements.
A father is only a father as a result of the relationship between him and his child. Can money buy a relationship?
The same concept applies to the mother and child and if a relationship with a father cannot be bought, then neither can one with a mother nor child be bought.
Even if it’s an extended family, you still have to have a relationship with someone who connects you to the other person. It’s not rocket science.
4. Wisdom
Someone defined wisdom as “the mother of knowledge,” and how does one acquire knowledge? He or she receives it from experience.
So, if you cannot buy experience, then you cannot buy knowledge. And if you cannot buy both, then wisdom is definitely out of your league. You have to study, meet people and just experience life to earn it.
5. Happiness
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt,
“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.”
Mrs. Roosevelt even acknowledges things money can’t buy. She emphasizes that money can’t buy happiness.
Despite all the money a person may have in the bank, he or she still may not have the happiness that we all crave and deserve. Money cannot afford happiness.
6. Health
Money can help us afford the best health care services, but health itself? Not exactly.
We’ve seen millionaires and billionaires lose their lives to a range of diseases that all their money put together could not cure.
The Dalai Lama said,
“What surprises me most is ‘man’ because he sacrifices his health to make money then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health.”
So, besides the fact that it doesn’t buy us health, sometimes the pursuit of it takes good health away from us.
7. Long life
During birthdays, we wish people a long, prosperous and healthy life. Money would be the best gift to send to loved ones to buy these things.
But since you can’t, you wish these individuals the best life has to offer. You may also give them fun and loving experiences without money.
8. Time
The universe has been impartial enough to give us all 24 hours to do whatever we want to. But nobody, with all his or her wealth, has been able to purchase an extra hour, not even a second.
9. Respect
They say it is reciprocal. In other words, you can only get respect when you give respect and the last time we checked, there was no money for respect.
So if you can’t give something in any currency, then you can’t receive it in any currency either.
10. Character
Character is the sum of a person’s attitude. Attitude has to do with the way you behave and although money can influence a person’s character, it cannot buy a good one.
11. Confidence
Any “confidence” built on money really isn’t confidence. It’s a shade of pride and usually ends in sheer show-off. That, dear friend, is not confidence. Confidence is a quality you build with time.
12. Beauty
There are countless beauty products in the market and all of them cost money. These beauty products can only enhance beauty by covering up blemishes and some go as far as altering some features of the body.
But none has been able to change the natural beauty of anybody. If you consider surgery, then you are still altering the natural features, not changing it. You can’t buy good looks from your mother’s womb. It’s just not possible.
13. Sense of Humor
Some individuals are born with the gift to make others laugh. Most of the comedians around became wealthy as a result of their sense of humor.
The humor did not come after the money. Nobody became funny overnight because of a swell in their bank account.
14. Trust
Why do you trust people? Because they’ve proved themselves to be trustworthy by character. Their character earned them that trust.
15. Talent
Talent is a natural skill that has to be discovered and honed. Just like beauty and every other thing that comes naturally, talent cannot be purchased.
16. Purpose
People attend conferences and seminars to help them discover their purpose in life. These conferences may be free or paid but the money did not buy them the purpose.
They already had the purpose way before realizing that they needed to find it. Lots of poor people discovered their purpose and leveraged it to become rich. This goes on to illustrate that money can come as a result of finding purpose but it cannot get you the purpose.
17. Satisfaction
If there’s one thing that money can never buy, it is satisfaction. Even if money finds a way to get any of the other items on this list, it can never afford satisfaction. Money increases our desire for more money. The more the money, the more the hunger.
18. Empathy
Never have we ever heard of a man who bought the ability to empathize and never would we ever because empathy is a feeling. Feelings cannot be bought.
19. Peace
Why do people employ sophisticated security systems? Because they want to have peace when they go to bed but even with all of that, peace has never been received in exchange for money. It comes as a result of a clear conscience and a good heart.
Ironically, money may bring enemies which would end up disrupting your peace.
20. A Good Name
A proverb says “a good name is better than silver.” This is like comparing two different things: a name and silver (which could be referred to as money).
What is a “name?” It is a form of identity and how is it received? Your way of life and character helps people to receive you.
Conclusion
Overall, these things are invaluable and confidently show that money can’t buy everything.
While this is the case, money is necessary, so don’t quit your job just because it can’t buy you happiness. And do spend your money and time wisely.
Also, go out of your way to make people happy. Their money can’t provide this needed emotion. Do not lose or mismanage your health trying to get money.
More About Happiness
Featured photo credit: Yingchou Han via unsplash.com
