In defense of wealth (with a purpose)

Strip away questions of excess or greed and wealth can be the horsepower behind the accomplishment of great things.  Wealth doesn’t have to mean just what is owned by the 1% if we don’t want it to mean that.  Wealth can mean what each family strives for to fulfill their sense of responsibility to people they care about and to the community at large.

Wealth is what gives someone the ability to go to night school to earn their college degree.  Wealth is what provides the opportunity for children to play sports and music, go to school, go to summer camps, and go on vacation with their parents.  Wealth is the producer of jobs and career opportunities for other people so that they can create their own wealth. Wealth is what can be given away to help other people because of faith, community, passion, or personal experience.

Wealth for the sake of being wealthy does not seem noble or interesting to us.  But protecting and defending wealth that has a purpose for building families, for employing neighbors, and for giving away does.

Photo:  Rachael McGraw, Snoqualmie Pass