We're In The Money

When it comes to things like the lottery, I have rarely if ever had a great deal of luck. I am a believer that we all make our own luck but that there is a small, minute and very miniscule bit of luck that floats around everything and everyone that provides them with that one moment of clarity and that can be translated as a moment of good luck. Perhaps it's a byproduct of having watched "Star Wars" so many times since childhood that the philosophy of the Force can be applied to my understanding of luck, but still, I like to have a little faith that it is quite possible that everyone can have a bit of good luck sometimes. At least we're all hoping that our luck makes us one in 176 million. Those are the odds of winning the latest round of the Mega Millions Lottery's prize of $355 million.

Now unless you are Bill Gates, there is hardly a person who would balk at that type of money. I am fortunate to be doing reasonably well financially, but still, there is no way I would turn down the chance at winning $355 million (even if I do have to give Uncle Sam his fair share). It's at times like that that I begin to wonder, would money really change me? Far too often I have read about people who have won the lottery or come into insane amounts of money suddenly going wild and spending up a storm. When the money is first awarded there are new crews and cameras everywhere. On the other side, there are rarely many people covering the fact that you have spent every last penny and are now in debt.

Most of us work hard to earn what we have. Many of us work even harder to get just a bit more and the prospect of winning something like the lottery makes you wish for a bit more wealth. I wonder if I would be different if I won the lottery. Everyone always says that they will take care of their family first and that's the truth with me too. Does that mean that I would go out and buy my parents a new multi-story manor in the middle of Beverly Hills? No. I like their house and I think they like it too. Perhaps I would get them new cars and send them on holidays and give them back the wonderful things they have visited on me these past so many years.

I would want to give some of the money to charitable organizations and research groups. I wouldn't do this because I think it's a way to save on taxes or even because it's the cliched thing to do, rather I think it's the right thing to do. You can stand on a corner and give money away to every needy person you see but it's a temporary fix. In my mind, if you can work with those groups trying to solve the problems then you can make an even bigger difference. I have lost many family members and friends to various diseases and it would be a way of helping prevent it from happening to someone else.

What about for myself? I truly don't know. If I suddenly came into money I would definitely pay off the house and car and all. I would spend a bit of it on some fun trips and gathering of friends. But the important thing would be to keep working. Some may think that it's a crazy thing to want to keep working after coming into millions of dollars, but the truth of it is, I would feel quite ridiculous having worked and gone to school for so many years just to spend the remainder of the days sitting at home watching daytime television. I can think of little else that is less constructive or wasteful. I have been fortunate to have been able to go to good schools and get good jobs. The money would be an overall good addition to my wealth; but as the punchline to the old joke says, "You've got to buy a ticket first." Hmmm... perhaps there isn't much going on at lunch....