Much has been said here at LP already about the division of windfall should you hit the big one. This story always stays with me.
A man once checked his lotto tickets and found that he had a won a multimillion dollar jackpot. He put the ticket away and proceeded to dwell on his good fortune. His needs and that of his family were assured. His real concern was how to know where to share his money, especially with regard to his friends. He tried to put himself on both sides of the fence, so to speak.
After some thought he called each of the handful of people he considered equally his closest friends. In each case, he told the friend that financial disaster had struck and that he and his family were essentially facing ruin. While each friend felt for his loss and wished they could help, they simply did not feel they could help him. That is, until he called the last friend on the list. After hearing the story, the last friend said that he did not have enough cash on hand but he would take another mortgage out on his house and not to worry, they would all get through this terrible time. And the lottery winner had his answer.
The moral, I think, is not about the money. Rather, the happiness and well being of the people who mean the most to you matter equally to your own happiness and well being. What we share may be words, food, the warmth of touch or even money, the important thing is selflessness and a true desire to help end the suffering of another. I'm blessed and fortunate to know this kind of friendship. I hope you are too. J