The Beatles sang about love they couldn't buy, and Aladdin's genie lectured about wishes you couldn't wish for. There are a lot of things in this world money can buy if you're willing to spend all your time earning that money. But so many more things can only be experienced once. There are so many opportunities that must be seized immediately because they'll never chance your way again. This list should get you thinking about all the things money can't buy, despite commercials, billboards and advertisements that would like to convince us there is no such thing as an "unpurchaseable" item.
1. More time with the ones we love
2. The love of those people
3. Loyalty (cat, dog, human, or otherwise)
4. Missed cuddles
5. More wishes
6. Kisses (the true love kind)
7. Youth
8. More money
9. Your mom's homemade pie, cake or cookies
10. The secret recipes for said confections
11. Respect
12. Trust, once it's lost
13. Hope, when times are hopeless
14. Faith you're not willing to work for
15. Freedom from worry or fear
16. Freedom for citizens of oppressed nations
17. World peace
18. Memories once they're forgotten
19. The stories you never asked your grandpa to tell
20. The times you didn't hold and hug your child
21. A redo of past mistakes
22. A redo of missed opportunities
23. Good health when you don't treat your body well
24. The time you waste on watching mindless TV
25. The time you should have been exercising but ate a Twinkie instead
26. The time you should have napped when the baby was napping
27. A baby who sleeps through the night
28. A toddler who isn't picky
29. A child who never fights with his or her siblings
30. The beloved dog that passed when you were 12
31. The darling lap cat that disappeared that one summer
32. Inner beauty
33. A good sense of humor
34. The ability to see past others' faults
35. The ability to see past your own faults
36. The kind of friends who never desert you
37. The kind of family that always stands by you
38. The first time you read your favorite book
39. The first time you see your favorite movie
40. Education you didn't get
41. Beautiful vistas you didn't see
42. Trips you didn't take
43. A warm summer day spent picnicking with your family
44. An autumn afternoon jumping in colorful piles of leaves
45. A winter morning when you make the first footprints in the snow
46. A spring night spent stargazing at a sky close enough to touch
47. The moments that take your breath away
48. The moments that make your heartbeat stutter
49. The opinion you didn't stand up for
50. The love you didn't risk
Money is indispensable. That's something we can't deny. It's necessary in order to survive this world. But sometimes we get too focused on surviving, and we forget about enjoying. After all, wasn't life meant to be celebrated, not just endured? What else would you add to this list?
