In the popular musical Fiddler on the Roof, the main character Tevye sings about all the things he’d have and all the things he’d do if he were a “rich man”.

On Monday, I attended the funeral Mass of a longtime client’s dad/grandpa to remember and celebrate his 84 years of life. I’m not sure he’d be considered “wealthy”. But after seeing four generations of his family and numerous friends gathered together to mourn his death, I’d have to say he was a rich man who lived a good life.

So, what does rich look like? I think the answer depends on another question… “How are you measuring?”

Chances are you measure wealth in numbers. For most people, riches/wealth is measured by the number of commas at the bottom of your financial statement. That’s definitely one way to measure your wealth. But what if it’s measured with a different set of numbers?

The number of smiling faces that call you mom/dad, grandma/grandpa, aunt/uncle, sister/brother, friend. The number of people who visit you when you’re sick or dying. The number of hours they stay by your side. The number of people who attend your funeral to share how your life affected theirs.

Of course, most of us would rather think about our life than ponder our death. But let’s be realistic. Someday we’re all going to die and leave everything behind. If that day was today, what does your “everything” look like?

Would you consider yourself to be rich?

I bet if you looked closely, you’d see that you already are. You’re just measuring it wrong.