Mindset story: When wealth losses all of its value

Once upon a time, in a quiet village surrounded by rolling green hills, there lived an older man named Fred. Fred was known for being careful with his money. Over his long life, he had worked hard, saved every coin, and collected a small fortune in gold. But instead of using it to make his life comfortable, Fred had a different plan. Each coin was precious to him, more valuable than food, clothes, or even his own happiness. He took all his gold, wrapped it in cloth, and buried it in a secret spot beneath an old oak tree just outside the village. Every single day, without fail, Fred would walk to the tree, carefully dig up his treasure, and count each piece of gold. He would run his fingers over the shiny coins, smiling with satisfaction when he saw that none were missing. Then, he would cover it back up and go home. Fred repeated this routine for years. He never spent a single coin. He did not buy new shoes when his old ones wore thin. He patched his clothes until they were more patches than fabric. He ate the plainest food, even though his gold could have bought him delicious feasts. But to Fred, the thought of spending his gold was like losing it. He believed that as long as it was buried safely, he was rich.

However, Fred was not as secretive as he thought. A thief in the village had noticed his daily visits to the tree. Hidden behind bushes, the thief watched Fred dig up his gold and carefully cover it again. Night after night, the thief waited for the perfect opportunity. Finally, under the cover of darkness, he crept to the old oak tree, dug up the gold, and ran away with it. The next morning, Fred arrived as usual. But when he dug into the earth, his fingers met nothing but cold, empty soil. His treasure was gone. Fred’s heart shattered. He fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He clutched the dirt in his hands and cried, “My gold! Oh my gold! Someone has robbed me!” His cries were so loud that a passerby, a traveler from a nearby town, heard him and stopped. The traveler was a kind man with gentle eyes, and he asked, “What happened? Why are you crying, old friend?” Fred looked up, his face red with grief. “My gold is gone! I buried it here under this tree, and now someone has stolen it!” The traveler was puzzled. “Gold buried in the ground? Why did you not keep it at home where it would be safe? You could have used it to buy things you need.” Fred shook his head fiercely. “Buy things? I would never spend it. What if it ran out? The gold was my treasure. It made me feel rich just knowing it was there!”

The traveler thought for a moment. Then, he bent down, picked up a large stone, and dropped it into the hole. The stone made a dull thud as it hit the bottom. “Cover that stone with soil, Fred,” the traveler said gently. “If you never planned to use your gold, this stone is worth just as much to you. It will sit here, day after day, and you can visit it just as you did before.” Fred stared at the stone. He felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. The traveler’s words had opened his eyes. He realized that he had held his gold so tightly that it had become useless. All those years, he could have used his treasure to live comfortably, to share with others, or to make his life easier. But instead, he had guarded it like a prisoner guards a cell. Fred sat by the tree for a long time after the traveler left. He thought about the warm coat he could have bought for winter. He thought about the fruits and honey he had passed by in the market. He thought about how he could have helped his neighbors when they were in need. Wealth, he realized, is not about having gold hidden in the ground. True wealth is about using what we have to bring comfort, joy, and kindness to ourselves and others.

From that day forward, Fred changed. He did not have his gold anymore, but he worked again, this time using his earnings wisely. He bought a warm coat for the winter. He shared bread with a hungry child. He smiled more. And though he was no longer the richest man in the village, he became one of the happiest. And so, the villagers learned a lesson from Fred’s story and that is that money and treasures are only valuable when they are used to improve lives.