Jon Pedley's Current House Jon Pedley's new house
I'm sure these famous lyrics from 1971 musical, "Fiddler on The Roof" have played and played through millions of people's minds. Whether it being about dreams of living an elite life style or dreams about simply being able to support a family, most people can relate to fantasizing about having more money. How many people however, think about not having any at all? Or, should I say, how many people think about not having any at all and then decide to give it away? Earlier this month, a 41 year old millionaire from the UK decided to sell his communications business,his $1.5 million house and most of everything else he owns to start a children's charity in Uganda. Jon Pedley, while very successful, had previously been living a life full of drinking, crime and violence. After his reckless behavior almost cost him his life in a car accident, he knew he had to make a change. It is easy for someone to say they are going to change but it takes a lot to actually do it. Jon was not discouraged. The charity will be called Uganda Vision and will send troubled British children to Uganda to help with poverty, education and AIDS. Jon was inspired after working in Uganda for a few days with a friend from his church. " “As a society, it is so much more familial and spiritual than we are in the UK. I worked there for a few days and these people who have nothing were stopping and giving me sacks of potatoes [in thanks] which is a fortune for them. There is a morality there which comes naturally. You feel so unbelievably humbled. And I wanted kids in the UK, especially those who are on a downward spiral of addiction and self-hatred, to experience this.” Other volunteers will join Jon on his mission to build camps in South West Uganda and ultimately building a future of possibilities.
Here are two similar, yet different stories about people giving up their possessions and what the 'normal' lifestyle that goes along with them.
ReplyDelete1) "Homeless Man Leaves Behind Surprise: $4 Million"
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111091624&ps=cprs
"He just gave up all of the material things that we think we have to have. You know, I don't know how we gauge happiness. What's happy for you might not be happy for me. I never heard him complain."
2)"Meet the Man Who Lives on Zero Dollars"
http://www.details.com/culture-trends/career-and-money/200907/meet-the-man-who-lives-on-zero-dollars
"Daniel Suelo lives in a cave. Unlike the average American—wallowing in credit-card debt, clinging to a mortgage, terrified of the next downsizing at the office—he isn't worried about the economic crisis... Nine years ago, in the autumn of 2000, Suelo decided to stop using money. He just quit it, like a bad drug habit..."
I find these two articles particularly interesting because I feel that although there actions were extreme, everyone could learn a lesson from them; Money doesn't buy happiness, and before you know it, instead of you owning your possessions, your possessions may start to own you. The extreme of this can be seen on the new TLC show "Extreme Hoarders," which exemplifies the other end of the spectrum. Definitely something to think about. But then again... I do really like buying stuff...
Keep up Good work.