The happiest people do not necessarily have the best things, they simply appreciate the things they have- Warren Buffett

Whether you are ill or you are healthy, these words really resonate with me. I have many friends who, by all standards, are healthy and well off but are miserable. Some I have known since childhood and even as children, they were never happy with what they had, always wanting more They felt entitled to more. They were miserable as children and now they are both miserable and insufferable as adults.

True happiness does not come from accumulation of wealth, but it comes from the ability to truly appreciate what one has. This includes not only the largest and most luxurious items, but also the small gifts life has to offer.  It is being thankful and not expecting more. One of my most prized possessions is a gift from an old and dear friend, a statue of sorts. The actual cost in dollars is relatively small, it's true value, to me, is immeasurable.  It truly is priceless.

It is important to focus on what you have, whether it be your health, your friends, what ever it is that makes you the happiest. It is very easy to get caught up in trying to get ahead, rushing through life.  This is especially true in this ever fast paced life. Take a breath, be thankful for all life has given you and rejoice. You never know what the next turn in your life may bring. Tragedy very often comes with no notice. One day you may be fine and not so the next. It is easy to get caught up in the obsession of accumulating "stuff" whether it is needed or not. The more you have, the more you want, it is human nature.  But ever forget it is often the simplest, the most inexpensive things things in life that are the most precious.

There is great truth and wisdom in the statement: "A fool knows the price of everything but the value of nothing".

When I was young, 19 to be exact, I moved back to Boston, my birthplace. One of my first jobs was working for an antique furniture restorer, a job that really was my first love and my true passion. The job did not pay well, the days were long, the work was hard- I truly lived pay check to pay check. I was poor by anyone's standards. Yet those days were some of my happiest. I loved what I did, I had enough money to secure a roof over my head and put food in my belly with very little left over for the niceties of life, but I was happy. I can remember walking walking through the BackBay section of Boston on a beautiful Friday evening, just having been paid. My rent paid, my weekly food shopping done walking for a bite to eat with the little money that was left over.It was dusk, the city alive, I was young, not rich, but happy.... I was the luckiest young man alive. Over 35 years later, I  recall that moment and remember what true happiness is.

My greatest joy now comes from spending time and sharing memories with my oldest and dearest friends, my family and those I love.  The best things in life may not be totally free but they don't cost a lot either. A bottle of wine (or two) good friends and good conversation is all I need. Truth be told, I don't even need the wine.

It was not until I reached the age of 50 or so that I really gained any true perspective. The ability to put things in context, what really matters and what doesn't. At 20, there is  no perspective, no real life experience. At 56, one has perspective.

In Warren Buffet's words- learn to appreciate what you have. You will be richer for it, as will all those whose lives you touch.