THE LOTTERY

     It's an interesting and entertaining exercise to consider what we would do if we won the lottery and suddenly had access to unlimited funds. Would we buy things? Would we buy big things, little things, jewelry? Gifts for others? Would we invest the money? Would we give it away? Take a trip? Do we think it would solve our problems? Would we move? Live in a different sort of house and neighborhood? Drive a different car?
     To my mind, these are provocative questions, and the honest answers teach me something about myself. I seem to think that winning the lottery would give me some kind of guaranteed security, and that I would be insulated from stress as well... because so much of my stress is related to money and never seeming to have quite enough of it, and paying bills, and groceries, and the expense of unexpected things that break down and have to be fixed. But if I'm honest, I know that having oodles of money just changes the playing field. It doesn't end the game.
     Whether we win the lottery or not, life will still challenge us. Life is still life whether we are rich, or poor, fat, or thin, tall, or short, healthy and robust, or in chronic physical pain. We are here to grow and learn and experience the ride. Nothing external, not even a winning lottery ticket, will guarantee our happiness. No matter what we have or don't have, happiness is ultimately and forever an inside job.

If I can't be happy without winning the lottery, I will never be happy winning it. Happiness is a state of being and not a dollar amount in the bank.