What would you do with $45 million?

I would:

• Retire (doesn't matter if i haven't even start working full-time yet!). 
• Fly to Tuscany and drive around Sicily with Muhsin in an ancient classic car of his choice. 
• Visit Venice before it sinks
• Ride a gondola with an Italian man with a thick mustache 'driving' it and sing some slow romantic Italian songs
• Go to the largest library in the world
• Meet and marry greet Hugh Jackman

Honestly, the list is endless. I wonder if any of you have a similar list. Muhsin was telling me a story of this acquaintance of his. Not only do I feel sheepish after hearing the full story but I felt really awed as well. I'll summarize the story and not wanting to disclose too much, i'll just call him Ali.

Ali bought a land in Melbourne 25 years back. It cost him about $300k and it was a form of investment. His wife didn't understand the point of the whole investment thing. Fast forward 25 years later, the property and the land that Ali bought is now worth...you guessed it. $45 million. 

I had to force myself to focus on what Muhsin was telling. The proceeds of the land and property will go into building an orphanage in Palestine and several shops near the orphanage. The purpose of having the mini businesses is to generate 'income' for the orphanage. Not only does he have a heart of gold, Ali is intelligent too.

Poverty and orphans still exist. And God bless people like Ali for wanting to help make a change. I applaud his move and him as a human being. May he be bless on earth and hereafter. Before we start being cynical or over-ambitious, let's face it- many of us do not have the capacity to pull an act like Ali. But maybe our purpose is different. I strongly believe that we're here to make a difference in someone else's life. Be it someone we know or just a stranger whom you happened to smile at as you walked past. We don't have to solve all the problems in the world. Just being there for someone counts for alot. Like the following that I got from Postsecrets:

At my college we have a bulletin board inspired by PostSecret. One day a photograph of a sunset was posted. Written across the photo in white ink it said "sometimes I wonder if anyone would care if I didn't wake up in the morning".


A few weeks later another photograph was posted. This was a photo of a sunrise. In white ink it said "yes, I would". . . I wish I could tell the person "thank-you" because the sunset was mine.

 A relative asked me what I was majoring in and I said Psychology. Her reaction? "Whoa. Everyday you'll have to listen to people's problems! Stress. Not only do you have to deal with stress in your own life, but that of others' as well. Good luck to you!" And that was said in a sarcastic tone.

It doesn't make sense now, but maybe in the future it will. It's a road that I've chosen to walk on and I intend to make it a meaningful one. If I can make a living and also save lives, why not.

Pic courtesy of Postsecrets 

But for now, it doesn't hurt to daydream about that 45 million bucks ;)