Lately I have had the strange experience of feeling both rich and poor. I fluctuate between the two frequently. The words "rich" and "poor" are subjective. They are different for everyone. Neither one is a fact that could be proven in a court of law.
I've also realized that rich and poor are feelings, though we don't commonly refer to them that way. Sometimes I feel rich. Other times I feel poor. And the difference just depends on my thoughts about my current situation.
For example, I feel poor when I think, "I can only afford to buy each of my immediate family members one gift for Christmas, and I have nothing left for my extended family."
I feel poor when I compare my yearly income to that of others around me, especially those who make more without having kids to provide for, or who are younger than I am.
But of course, that's all relative. So the important question to ask is: Compared to what?
Here are some thoughts that have helped me feel rich this week:
Christ has given me a gift I will never be able to repay.
I work for God and He is the best employer. "He loadeth with benefits" (Psalms 68:19)
I'm slated to direct a feature film next month.
Anything I want and believe in enough, I am able to achieve.
So many people would die to have a beautiful family like mine.
I live in an age of unlimited opportunity and possibility.
There is more knowledge available to me than I'll ever have room to receive.
Kings and queens of old would have loved to experience the conveniences I enjoy daily.
As long as I have food, love, and a place to sleep, I'm happy.
Not all of those apply to everyone, but hopefully there are at least a few that apply to you to and help you feel rich this Christmas.
And as an update, our feature film is 100% funded and slated to start production in January, so you can expect some updates on that soon. We actually had to turn away a few potential investors because all the shares had completely sold out in just three days! I take that as a sign that this is a really important story to tell - one that people want to see and be a part of. I pray that we won't disappoint.
I also want to mention that even though our film was entirely funded in three days, it really has taken much longer than that for us to get to this point. We've worked really hard to develop our craft, build a strong team, form relationships with investors and learn the art of pitching and preparing feature films. We are now reaping what has taken many years to sow.
Merry Christmas,
Anna Thalman