In these troubled times, in a world which has become so focused on what is lost or gained, I would like to say a few words to remind us about what true wealth is.

It cannot be bought or sold. It isn’t inherited or traded. Although it can be given freely, it can’t be stolen or used to swindle. It is effortless but requires devotion and care. It is at the very heart of life and goes by many names, none of which quite capture it. We feel it deeply with our partners, parents, children, and cherished friends, and yet we don’t speak of it often enough. The loss of it brings the most profound pain in life but also an opportunity to deepen and grow. It shapes our sense of ourselves and the world, and facilitates the possibility of great unselfish acts of kindness.

It can bring about an inspired and beautiful reordering of our universe, and an appreciation for what was previously invisible or unheard. It dismantles the walls of hopelessness and builds a new foundation with patience and acceptance. It embraces differences and finds art in the ordinary. It is not impractical, recognizing as it does hunger and thirst, ill health, old age, and the need for a good roof. It is gracious, genuine, and persevering. It holds an ocean of forgiveness, but can burn with righteous anger.

It can walk into the densest darkness and sit fearlessly waiting and listening. It is not passive but it might be painful. It transforms. It cannot exist by itself. It invites, embraces and evokes. It’s intensity can terrify as well as heal. To be without it floods us with loneliness and brings us to the brink of inner death.

It does not requires bank accounts, stocks, or bonds. It can flourish surrounded by great opulence or severe poverty. This true wealth is ours alone to give or to earn. It is not enough, but without it, enough is nothing

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Dr. Brace is a Clinical Psychologist in Evergreen, Colorado. She can be reached at 303-679-1429. Information about her practice may be found at www.drsusanbrace.com.