Money buys food, not happiness

Before I became an Roadie with Invisible Children I had a job. Let me rephrase that-I had a "great" job. I was paid well to not do much work. I always felt like the amount of money I made to spend on myself or "excess" money I made, directly translated to my level of happiness. Now to be clear I was happy and I intentionally took time to realize just how blessed I was. However I was dreading the day that I would move on from that job and subsequently say goodbye to all that "spending money".

Well that day has come for me to quit my job and is now lies in the recent past. What hasn't been left in the past though is my happiness. It has stayed with me and has even multiplied. This has caught me completely off guard. As I said before, I thought that whatever excess money I have=happiness. I have been quickly and pleasantly by educated by life.

Just to run the numbers...after taxes I made roughly $18,000 last year ($346 a week). Savings=$0. I spent it all. For the two weeks I've been in California I've spent $65 total ($32.50 a week, all on groceries). I'm very proud of the latter. As you can see this is a HUGE change for me. If I did my math right that is more than a 90% cutback in spending.

Walking back from Vons tonight I realized just how happy I am. I'm working more and getting paid nothing but I'm somehow so unbelievable happy. I get to love my "Ugandan/Congolese brother" as I would love myself and for that I am extremely fulfilled. With this fulfillment also comes happiness that I never expected would be so enduring, hard working and constantly growing.

If I can try to share what I've learned is that money really doesn't buy happiness and to be honest I don't ever want to have an excess of money that will make me forget where true happiness is found.

Location:House with 62 people