What is Rich?

What is Rich?

I recently returned from the Amalfi Coast in Italy. While I was there, I met many rich people, but not in the way most of us define it. When I think of rich, my first thought is financially well off; someone without lack of wealth or resources. But as I learned in Italy, richness is so much broader than that.

One of the most well known hikes in the Amalfi Coast is the Path of the God’s. I decided to hire a local guide to take me so I could talk with him about local history and customs. As we walked, we stopped many times along the way for him to show me the wild rosemary, lemon thyme, garlic, and oregano that grew abundantly on the side of the mountain. He explained to me that many people used to farm that area, but it was really hard work. Because of the slope of the land and the terraces, everything has to be tiled, planted, harvested, and maintained by hand. The younger generation of people have not wanted to continue the small family farming businesses, so much of the land is overgrown with weeds. He had great sadness in looking over all of the uncultivated areas of previously rich farmland, because therein lied a lot of the heritage of the area.

The more we walked, the more he shared about his culture. Once he turned to me and said, “I am rich, but not in the way you think.” He talked about a richness of culture and family. A richness that cannot be taken away by a political party. His relationships made him rich. Knowing he could depend on his family and close friends to be there for him, day or night, through good times and bad made him wealthy. Paolo understood riches, far better than I did before our conversation.

When you look at your life, not just your bank account, are you rich? And if so, what defines riches to you?