Money can't buy happiness afterall

I was writing a paper this past week about how nonprofits lose sight of their mission as they become larger in order to compete with the private sector. With the economy being so horrible, it made me think about my own life and the lives of so many who have lost their jobs. I didn't choose a career where I'd make the big bucks but I'm always happy at my job and I love what I do. Being surrounded by the arts makes me feel fulfilled and instead of being miserable and working crazy hours, I'm doing something I believe in and making a modest salary. As hundreds of people lose their jobs (the line for the crosstown bus has gotten significantly shorter over the past few weeks) I keep thinking about how they must be evaluating their lives. So many people choose a high stress career that makes lots of money instead of doing something more relaxing and enjoyable. Now after years or even decades of working for a company, putting in endless hours and dedicating their time to a company that they trusted would provide them with a comfortable life, they're out of luck. Did they love their job and are sad now not to be working? Are they angry about losing their retirement money after years of going to a job they hated? Do they worry about their future and the future of their families? It's extremely sad to think about how many people are victims of our failing economy but maybe now that they're not in a cubicle stressing out and crunching numbers, they'll have time to relax - read a book that they've been putting off, spend time with their kids, or just do nothing at all and stare at the television. Maybe doing nothing for a while is not such a bad thing.

I guess the moral of the story is do what makes you happy and don't worry about the money because you never know when it will be gone.