Photo Credit: -Curly- || Really, it’s easy to be happy when you have just enough. All the money you need and not enough to fight over 🙂

Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches? Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, “Who is the LORD?” Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.

New King James Version — Proverbs 30:7-9

Most of us want to be loved. It’s a deep need, and people crave it, often seeking good and bad ways to satisfy the need.

I counsel some people regarding their lives, who are not well off. It is not a rewarding pursuit in a pecuniary sense, but I do it out of love for them. Many have failed marriages. Some have marriages in danger of failing. Most have some habitual problem that is keeping them from succeeding. They sabotage themselves because they don’t want to admit that they are the main cause of their problems.

(This is not what intended to write about when I started.) Those who don’t have deep problems in their relationships still need to “weed and feed” in order to keep their relationships healthy. Weed — apologize when needed. Feed — show love regularly.

Love takes time, so the song by Orleans goes. I spend a minimum of 15 minutes every night with my wife talking to her, hearing her needs, doing the business of our marriage. The closer the relationship, the more tending it needs.

Spending time definitely affects love. What about money? How does it affect love? I will give a few ways that money can aid love.

• Work hard to support those that you love.
• Save money so that unexpected troubles don’t knock you off your feet.
• Help your friends in their times of need.
• Help your children go to college, or help fund their initial business efforts.
• Buy a home that will allow you to take care of your family. Pay off the mortgage so that it is no longer a burden.
• Buy a life insurance policy so that your loved ones are supported after your demise.
• Give money to your favorite charity.
• Take breaks from your work to spend time with your family. It can be a vacation, if that is what you like.
• Analyze what risks your family faces, and find ways to neutralize them.
• Invest wisely, so that you have more to help others, and enjoy your life.
• Give gifts to your spouse and children such that they get something that they desire.
• And more… give ideas in the comments.

Sergio Mendez had a song called “Put a Little Love Away.” Part of the lyrics were:

Better put a little love away
Everybody needs a penny for a rainy day
Put a little love away
Keep a loving thought in mind
Someone’s gotta leave
Somebody’s gotta stay behind
Put a little love away

Universal, Inc.

For those of us who take care of others, rather than just living for ourselves, showing love is important. But it requires a complex balancing act of labor, saving, investing and giving.

In this sense, the money is distilled effort used to aid others. I have often said that love is giving others what they desire. Find ways to give those you love what they desire, whether it requires time, money, or whatever. Be a giver, and you will likely be happy.