Everybody Has Wealth. What Kind Do You Carry?
A reflection on the kinds of wealth that matter when numbers fall away
When we hear the word wealth, most of us picture bank accounts, investments, property — the visible markers that society measures and markets trade on. Those things matter. They give us choice, safety, and the capacity to do more in the world. But they are only one strand of a larger tapestry.
We all carry wealth. The better question is not whether we have it, but what kind of wealth we carry — and whether it serves the life we want to lead.
Wealth is not only money
Wealth comes in many forms. Some of them are loud: a house on a hill, a business that makes headlines, the numbers on a retirement statement. Others are quiet, small and steady: a neighbour who brings soup when you’re ill, a habit of waking early with a clear mind, a faith that steadies you when everything else trembles.
When we reduce wealth to a single number, we miss the fuller picture. We also risk trading away the very things that make life meaningful in a bid to grow that number.
The kinds of wealth that outlast markets
Let’s name a few kinds of wealth we often overlook — the kinds that matter when markets fall and trophies tarnish.
Love and belonging. Wealth in relationships looks like people who know you, hold you accountable, and celebrate your small victories. It is a home where your presence matters. This wealth cushions the shocks of life in ways no insurance policy can.
Health and vitality. Good health is a daily currency. Energy allows agency. Without it, experiences narrow and options shrink. Health is not merely absence of illness — it is the capacity to wake, to work, to wonder.
Wisdom and discernment. This is the quiet wealth of a person who can read a situation, learn from mistakes, and guide others. Wisdom compounds: a lesson learned today pays dividends for decades.
Faith and serenity. For many, spiritual wealth is the anchor that holds in storms. It reshapes priorities, softens ambition, and redefines success in terms beyond accumulation.
Purpose and contribution. Wealth here is the sense that your life means something, that what you do matters to others. Purpose turns hours into labour that sustains both an inner life and a wider community.
Each of these forms of wealth can exist with little money. They can also be absent in someone who appears outwardly affluent. That paradox is the real lesson: money can buy comfort, but it cannot guarantee the deeper kinds of wealth that leave us peaceful at night.
When wealth is misaligned
The trouble comes when one kind of wealth dominates all the rest. A person can be
