What money cannot buy

Things can get difficult when money is tight. Less money often means going to fewer movies, passing on gourmet coffee, and delaying big ticket purchases like a new car or elective surgery. Less money means fewer options, and there is a real tension about being limited and feeling powerless.

In such times, it is useful to remember that money isn’t everything. There are many things that cannot be had for money. Here’s an inspirational passage from the writer Arne Garborg that hits the nail on the head:

It is said that for money you can have everything, but you cannot. You can buy food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; knowledge, but not wisdom; glitter, but not beauty; fun, but not joy; acquaintances, but not friends; servants, but not faithfulness; leisure, but not peace. You can have the husk of everything for money, but not the kernel.

The passage reminds me that the essence of virtually any enjoyable activity depends on non-monetary factors. On that note, here are a few more comparisons that came to my mind:

• You can buy a college degree, but not an education
• You can buy insurance, but not safety
• You can buy jokes, but not laughter
• You can buy a bed, but not sleep
• You can buy a house, but not a home

I suspect you’ve thought about this topic at some point too…any ideas you’d add to the list?