A Lesson from a 14-Year-Old
Two weeks ago, I assigned my students an essay titled “If I Were a Millionaire.” The class immediately bent over their papers, pencils moving quickly with dreams of luxury cars, big houses, and vacations. But one girl sat calmly with her arms folded, staring out the window. I approached her and gently asked, “What’s wrong?…
Two weeks ago, I assigned my students an essay titled “If I Were a Millionaire.” The class immediately bent over their papers, pencils moving quickly with dreams of luxury cars, big houses, and vacations. But one girl sat calmly with her arms folded, staring out the window. I approached her and gently asked, “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you writing?”
She looked at me with quiet confidence and said, “I’m just thinking… because I already feel rich, and I want to explain it the right way.” Curious, I encouraged her to continue. When I read her essay later, the opening line stopped me in my tracks: “I wouldn’t change much if I were a millionaire, because I already have everything that makes my heart full.”
She wrote about her mother who wakes up early to prepare breakfast with a smile, her father who walks her to school every single day, and her little brother who runs to hug her when she comes home. She said their home isn’t big, but it is full of laughter, shared meals, and bedtime stories that make her feel loved, safe, and valued.
Her final line touched me deeply: “A millionaire may have money, but I already have a family who makes me feel priceless.” That day, a young girl reminded me that true wealth isn’t always found in bank accounts—but in love, gratitude, and the warmth of the people who stand beside us every day.