Wealth
When I think about the vast wealth accumulated by some individuals, corporations, and governments, I reflect on the brevity of life and wonder about the immense effort it takes to acquire and maintain that wealth. The more material possessions a person or family gathers, the more they risk condemning their descendants. Like a curse that unfolds over generations, wealth can corrupt a bloodline, whether immediately or further down the line. No matter how meticulously they prepare, the effects are often inevitableāfuture generations become warped, unable to uphold family or business traditions, expectations, and norms.
Wealth might ensure that a family name survives, but the soul of the lineage may spoil. Service-to-self beings revel in this, believing that no descendant will ever surpass their own accomplishments. In their eyes, “Who could possibly be better than me?” Service-to-others beings, however, tend to overlook this eventuality, always hoping their children will grow into something greater than they ever were.