My rich life.
I love seeing these posts on the ‘gram because they’re so sweet and so uplifting. I adore it when people realize that the richest aspects of life are not what’s in your bank account (this is me making it clear I’m not going to tell you that money doesn’t buy happiness, because it brings me lots of joy and I’m not mad about it), but about what you have that money can’t buy.
You can earn money anytime, and you can buy all the fun things with it. We can buy the luxury cars and the gorgeous vacations and the fabulous wardrobe, and those things are absolutely spectacular…but it’s so very true that we cannot buy the best things in life. And that’s where real wealth is found – in the things that you cannot purchase, manufacture, or obtain.
And while the materialistic luxuries that wealth can purchase are so much fun, there are a few things in life that often go overlooked that are truly the most beautiful things in life. The things that make life truly rich and truly beautiful – and noticing and appreciating those things is what makes life feel peaceful and happy.
Essentially, let me jump on the trend. My rich life looks like this:
A husband who loves me
More than anything…this is a man who would do anything for me and for whom I would do anything. For 25 years, he’s been my favorite person, and I am his. A rich life is truly being married to someone who knows me better than I know myself (but, like, literally – I offered to call and order dinner from our favorite restaurant last week for him to pick up on his way home from practice with Carter and I literally ordered the wrong meal for ME because I have no idea what I like and he does…naturally, he immediately gave me his dinner because he knew I’d be happy with that but not happy with what I mistakenly ordered for myself because I don’t even know what I order).
I am rich in life because I am married to a man who loves spending time with me, who loves making me happy, and who makes sure that we get to live a very beautiful life that allows us both to be present for every game, every award ceremony, every banquet, every event, every drop-off and pick-up of our kids’ lives…and that’s rich.
My kids have the best dad
When I tell you my kids have the best dad, I mean it. He was born for the role of daddy. He never missed a doctor’s appointment when I was pregnant. He doesn’t have to take the kids to school in the mornings because I’m a stay-at-home mom, so I could easily do it, but he likes spending that time with them. He doesn’t miss games. He coaches teams. He is at every award ceremony at 2 pm on a weekday. He packs their lunches. He plays outside with the kids. He takes them on daddy date nights. He lets these kids make fun of him, mock him, laugh at him, and he loves every second. He loves their friends like his own, and he’s just the best.
My kids are amazing
Can I tell you that I don’t know how it’s even possible to have gone 4/4 in terms of great kids? I look back at my own childhood and how I saw families with multiple kids, and I remember thinking that no one had all good kids. Maybe one good kid and one bad kid. Or one or two good kids, and the rest were bad. I never met a family in which every child in the family was awesome.
And now that’s all I see. My own kids. Their friends. It must be generational…or just the quality of people in our lives now compared to then. I don’t know, but I am forever thankful that we have four amazing kids. All honors students, all well-behaved, all good athletes, all kind, all funny, all generous, all sweet. They have their moments, but I can honestly say our kids are never in trouble because even their worst moments aren’t bad.
These kids are funny, thoughtful, they like to spend time with us, they like to be with us, and they make good choices. They choose good friends, and they excel at everything they try. They are good people, and that is what makes us rich in life.
I get to be a mom
I am rich in life because there is never a time I can’t be present for my kids. My husband has made sure of that – his success has allowed me to be home with our kids for the past 18 years so that they could have a present mom. His success allows me to have all the freedom in the world, and my ability to take such good care of our kids, our home, and our family has allowed him to be successful.
The people in our lives are the best
We are rich in life because we are surrounded by people who love us and our family and would do anything for us. They treat our children like their own. Their doors are always open. Their families treat us and our children like their own. Their parents will pick up their kids and our kids and take them out for fun meals, events, and outings. Everyone’s door is always open. Everyone’s pantry is filled with snacks that our kids will like. Everyone keeps Charlotte’s favorite pizza on hand because she’s not big on meat, and everyone always has cucumbers and romaine for Ava.
When our kids are sick, they drop off things they think we might need or just things to make them feel better. They text our children good luck on game days, show up for games, cheer them on, and grab them after school, whether we need them to or not. We are rich in life because we are surrounded by people who love us and our kids like we are family – and there is nothing better.
We have a happy home
Ask any of our kids – who get to travel often and well – where they like to be, and they’re going to tell you their favorite place is home. How gorgeous is that? How beautiful that our kids will tell you that their favorite place to be is home with their family, putting together a puzzle, watching a movie, or playing in the pool? We have a home we love that’s filled with love, and that is everything that makes us rich in life.
We have good health
We are healthy. Our kids are healthy. Our home is healthy. Our friends are healthy. We are nothing short of blessed.
We have peace
My rich life is so rich because of this singular aspect of life. No matter what, we have peace. I know my husband loves me, my kids love me, and home is my safe place. My husband knows I love him, our kids love him, and that he’s provided us with a safe, beautiful, happy home. Our kids know their parents love them, support them, and encourage them in everything they do, that their home is a safe and happy place, and that they have no worries in life.
Peace is something money cannot buy. We are not perfect. We argue. We get annoyed. But we know, and our kids know, that this is a home that’s safe, secure, filled with love and laughter, and that they never have to worry about.
And that, among so many other things, is what my rich life looks like. And even when I’m annoyed or in a bad mood, I am truly thankful for these things.
Tiffany Raiford 