I was Weighed Down With greed

Zena Rice-SarantisWRD 110 4/3/14

From a money hungry kid to a happy loving adult.

• I always thought money was one of the most important things in life, I thought that money was a measure of ones success, that was until my parents went bankrupt my freshman year of college without warning. Now, I believe that having meaningful relationships with my family and friends as well as love are the most important things and are really true measures of your success in life.

• Before• Greedy, materialistic thought money was the most important thing

• During• My parents went bankrupt, I realized money is not the most important thing in the

world

• After• Happier with the relationships with my friends and family. Doing what I love, now what

will make money.

“Money, some people so poor; all that they've got

is money...Oh, and diamonds...Some people waste their life counting their thousands...(Keys)”

When I grow up I want to be a ballerina rich.

• In fifth grade we had a project in school, we had to write all about what we wanted to be when we grew up. This project was easy for me, I knew what I wanted to be since first grade, rich.

✔

Money = Success• Growing up I was sure that the only way you could truly have a successful life was if you were rich.

• I thought money was the only measure of a persons success.

• I thought money was the end all be all. I had to be rich if I wanted to be happy when I was older.

Money = Happiness• I always assumed that if you had money you would be happy.

• I figured nothing else mattered too much as long as you could live very comfortably.

I want it all …• I was writing a paper and I asked my brother to give a description of my personality and he said “ well you definitely enjoy the finer things in life and you like having nice stuff”

…well I used to • My parents declared bankruptcy in December of my freshman year of college.

And the shift begins• Following the news of the bankruptcy. I had a few major moments of clarity for me.

• I realized I didn’t need material things or money to make my life full and happy, I just wanted the people who were most important in my life to be happy.

A helping hand• When my parents declared bankruptcy, two of our family friends generously gave my parents money to help keep everything afloat.

• I was in awe when I heard of their incredible generosity.

• I again realized how important having meaningful relationships with friends and family are. You need people to surround yourself with when life gets hard.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

• What is success if you don’t have anyone to share it with?

• I have realized that having strong and meaningful relationships with my friends and family is more important than becoming rich.

So what do I want to be now?• Now that I’m not so worried about being rich, I’m following my passions in Psychology and Music.

Materialistic ? Not me, well not anymore.

• Sometimes ill look around my room at home and feel like I’m drowning in “things”.

• What the heck did I need all those random things for?

• I feel lighter now, no longer weighed down by greed and envy.

Happily Ever After• My family is closer now than we ever have been, and I am much closer

with my friends, and family friends who supported my family and I so much through the change.

• Going broke so to speak, was kind of a good thing now my family and I are all rebuilding our lives and not looking back.

Food for thought,

Works CitedAlicia Keys. “Not Even The King." Girl on Fire. RCA, 2012. CD.

Ballerina picture:http://www.pinterest.com/pin/514817801125180169/ Mansion picture: http://www.modernweddingphotography.tv

Mercedes picture :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_SLR_McLaren

Picture of girl Shopping http://www.pinterest.com/pin/237353842830957330/