I have lived a lot of lives. I grew up with just enough. A pound of hamburger fed four people. The garden out back gave us the rest. We wore hand-me-downs and were tickled to death with the cast off toys of other kids. We were clean, neat, and used our best manners. A lot of what we had was provided by the kindness of others though I was not aware of that at the time. I never felt poor.

I married young. We didn’t have much. We did our best. We had a baby. The marriage didn’t work. I lived in HUD housing. I got Food Stamps and WIC. I was pretty poor by all definitions. I lived in an unsafe neighborhood. I had to watch my baby like a hawk. I took what work I could find. I was grateful for the help. Yet I still never really felt poor. Slowly, I moved up the food chain.

I married a medical student. We worked hard. We created a life. A life that ever so slowly became more and more affluent. I forgot what it was like to be poor. I was haughty in my richness. I took it for granted. I thought I would always be a domestic goddess. It didn’t turn out that way.

I slipped down the ladder several rungs. It was good for me. It opened my eyes to more important things. Like God. And faith. And hope. And love.

I met Mr. Virgo. He had nothing but a suitcase and some pots and pans. But he had God. And he had a spirit the size of Texas. He had a smile that was brighter than the sun. He had a hug that assured me he would lay his life down for mine. He had blue eyes that captured the stars like diamonds and fed my soul with them. He had stories that carried me to far distant lands to vistas the likes of which I had only seen in books. He had a heart that was solid gold which he gladly presented to me…every single day…on a blue velvet pillow. He had a laugh that sent tears down my cheeks till I couldn’t catch my breath. He had a touch that was so gentle it knitted up all my wounded places. He gave me uncountable, unprecedented, unfathomable gifts.

And then he was gone.

But…he left a certain truth about the huge difference between the riches of money and the wealth of love.

If the time should ever come that I have spent my very last dime, you may rest assured of this……….my darling Mr. Virgo has left me very wealthy in my heart.

❤️

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

1 Timothy 6:10 NIV