New Zealand Travel 87 Day 20 −3 – What Is True Wealth? — Memories from Long Ago Amid Life in New Zealand

Kanon
April 1, 2026, 18:02

My son’s home in New Zealand is very spacious, with a large garden. The children run freely, and watching them fills my heart with genuine happiness.

At the same time, when I see food casually discarded, I feel a subtle discomfort. I would never say it aloud, but I can’t help wondering, “Is this really a truly abundant life?”

This feeling connects somewhere to a memory from my youth.

During my time studying in the United States, I was once invited to spend Christmas with my roommate’s family. A large house by the river, enormous cars, flying vehicles, boats, and cross-country skiing in the garden — I was shown how to add logs to the fireplace and experienced a life that seemed to symbolize abundance.

Yet, that family was not without tension. The parents had divorced, and the new family dynamics carried a quiet strain. My friend was hurting. At that moment, I strongly felt the questions: “What does it mean to have wealth? What does happiness truly mean?”

Now, here in this New Zealand home, watching the wide open spaces and the free-spirited children, the same questions quietly resurface.

What is true wealth?
What is happiness?
What does it mean to cherish something?

When my grandchildren grow up, how will they remember this life? How will they bring these experiences into their own lives? I cannot know. By that time, I will probably no longer be in this world.

But by recording these feelings, perhaps one day, if they happen to come across these words, it will bring a small joy.

5:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

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