HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS

I’ve been thinking a little bit about money today. This will sound weird probably, but here it is. I’d quite like to give away... hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Right. I don’t actually have hundreds of thousands of pounds. I hope that’s really clear: I don’t; there’ll be no giveaway today; don’t write in, it’s just not happening.

But that’s the point: I kind of wish it could.

Money’s weird stuff isn’t it. It’s like tall buildings - the view is very different from the top. It gets into your system, messes with your heart, changes your outlook, your priorities, your lifestyle and, if you let it, your friends. That’s why I’m a little reluctant with this thought about giving away large amounts that I don’t have... Like Frodo on the cusp of Mount Doom, I have a feeling the ring may take hold of me and I’d want to keep my millions for myself! As I say, the view is very different up there compared to down here. I just don’t know.

Or do I? The challenging point is that I do have at least some money. And it would seem ridiculous to think I could give away an ocean of the stuff when I’m currently clutching a jar for myself. So what am I doing with that?

These thoughts are uncomfortable. But my motivation is to know what it feels like to do some real good in the world, to change things for the better, to make this a nicer place to live, maybe even to show that wealthy people can be free of the terrible prison that a lot of money sometimes makes for them.

Well. There’s things I can do. I shan’t be talking about them though. If money itself is funny stuff, something weirder happens when you start talking about it with other people. If though one day, you see me diving into a vat of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck, you have permission to tell me I missed the mark and point me right back to what I said here today. It is way better to give than to receive.