Money cannot buy peace of mind. It cannot heal ruptured

"Money cannot buy peace of mind. It cannot heal ruptured relationships, or build meaning into a life that has none." Thus spoke Richard M. DeVos, and in his words lies a truth older than empires and deeper than oceans: that wealth is a tool, but never a savior. Gold can purchase houses, but not homes. Silver can fill a table, but not hearts. Riches may surround a man with comforts, yet still leave him empty if love, harmony, and purpose are absent. For the soul hungers not for coins, but for peace of mind, and no treasure on earth can fill that hunger.

The ancients, too, warned of this illusion. Did not King Solomon, the richest of Israel’s kings, declare in his wisdom writings that "vanity of vanities, all is vanity" when wealth is pursued without meaning? Did not the Stoics teach that fortune is fleeting, and that true stability lies only in virtue and inner strength? Even in Rome, where wealth glittered more brightly than in any age before, emperors who held the world in their grasp often lived tormented, surrounded by intrigue and betrayal. Thus history confirms the truth of DeVos’s words: money cannot heal the wounds of the soul.

Consider the story of Howard Hughes, one of the wealthiest men of the twentieth century. He built empires in aviation, film, and business, and yet in his later years he lived in fear, isolation, and despair. All his riches could not bring him peace of mind; all his fortune could not mend the relationships he had broken. His story mirrors countless others, a testimony that without love and purpose, wealth becomes a gilded cage.

And yet, there are those whose lives show the opposite truth—that even in poverty, men and women can find richness in spirit. Think of Francis of Assisi, who abandoned his father’s wealth and chose instead a life of simplicity and compassion. His peace was not bought but born of love, humility, and service. Or consider Gandhi, who lived with few possessions, yet carried within him a meaning so great that it shook empires. They remind us that true treasure lies in relationships healed, in purpose embraced, in the stillness of a soul at peace.

Children of tomorrow, take this to heart: if you seek meaning in life, do not search first in vaults of gold, but in the chambers of your own spirit. Ask not how much you possess, but how deeply you love; not how many luxuries you can afford, but how much peace your heart carries when you lay your head to rest. Wealth without peace is torment. Wealth without love is loneliness. Wealth without meaning is emptiness.

Practical wisdom lies here. Use money as a servant, never as a master. Let it clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and support the good work of your life. But do not let it rule your heart. Seek reconciliation with those you love; no coin can purchase a mended bond. Pursue a purpose greater than yourself; no fortune can give meaning to a life lived in vain. Cultivate gratitude, compassion, and inner calm, for these are treasures that no thief can steal and no market can buy.

Thus the lesson is plain: riches are fleeting, but peace, love, and meaning endure. Richard M. DeVos’s words remind us that though the world often chases wealth as though it were salvation, true wholeness lies in the unseen riches of the spirit. Therefore, live wisely. Treasure peace above profit, love above luxury, and meaning above money. For in the end, these are the only riches that can follow you beyond the grave.