Property may be destroyed and money may lose its purchasing

In the words of Roger Babson, a man who witnessed the rise and fall of fortunes in the roaring tides of commerce, there lies a truth that endures beyond the glitter of gold: “Property may be destroyed and money may lose its purchasing power; but, character, health, knowledge and good judgement will always be in demand under all conditions.” These are not the idle musings of a philosopher lost in thought, but the seasoned wisdom of one who had seen empires built and broken by their own greed. Babson, who lived through the storms of the Great Depression, spoke from experience — for he had seen how swiftly wealth can crumble when built on sand, and how steadfast the human spirit remains when rooted in virtue.

The ancients, too, knew this truth well. They spoke of fortune as a fickle goddess — smiling one day, vanishing the next. Property and money are her fleeting gifts, as shifting as the desert wind. But character, health, knowledge, and good judgement — these are treasures not held in vaults, but in the heart and mind of man. No fire can burn them, no thief can steal them, no tyrant can command them. They are the eternal currency of life, accepted in every age, under every sky.

When Rome burned and its riches turned to ash, it was not the noblemen who rebuilt her, but the artisans, the thinkers, the healers — those whose skills, integrity, and discipline remained unbroken. For when the marble statues fell, the spirit of Rome lived on in its people. It is the same in every age: when calamity strikes, those with character rise above ruin, for they carry within them the tools of renewal. The wise man invests not only in land and coin, but in himself — in the unseen wealth of the soul.

Let us remember the tale of Thomas Edison, whose laboratory once burned to the ground in a single night, devouring years of labor and invention. As he watched the flames, his son wept beside him. But Edison, serene and unshaken, said, “Go fetch your mother — she will never see a fire like this again.” In the ashes of destruction, he saw not the end, but the beginning. The next morning, he began again, and within weeks created some of his finest work. Why? Because the fire could destroy his property, but it could not touch his knowledge, his spirit, or his judgement.

So too must we live with this understanding: that external things are fragile, but the inner self is eternal. The world may fall into chaos, economies may collapse, yet a man or woman of strong character will always find a way. Health gives the energy to endure; knowledge gives the power to rebuild; judgement gives the wisdom to act rightly. These are the pillars upon which survival and greatness are built.

Babson’s wisdom calls us not to scorn wealth, but to place it in its rightful order — as servant, not master. The true measure of a person is not their possessions, but what remains when possessions are gone. When adversity comes, it strips away the false and reveals the real. The shallow fall with their fortunes; the steadfast stand firm, like mountains unmoved by storms.

Therefore, my children, cultivate your character as you would guard your most sacred treasure. Nourish your health, for the body is the vessel of all endeavor. Pursue knowledge, for ignorance is the only poverty that cannot be cured by gold. Sharpen your judgement, for it is the compass that guides the wise through uncertainty. Let your worth rest not on what you own, but on what you are.

For when the world trembles — as it surely will — the markets may crumble, and the proud may fall. But those who have built their wealth in virtue, their health in discipline, their minds in learning, and their wisdom in good judgement, will endure. Such people will always be in demand — for they are the architects of renewal, the quiet heroes who rebuild the world when others despair. And so the lesson stands eternal: Invest first in the soul, and no misfortune shall ever leave you truly poor.