Received some staggering news yesterday that knocked me for a loop. It was a 'wow, no way! Seriously?' sort of moment that I'm still trying to wrap my head around!
What follows is a little story, involving huuuge implications for the individual and those around him.
I work in a relatively tight-knit group/department, and there's a few of us who've been there for many years. One of them, I'll call him Jim, was a close colleague who recently announced his retirement. We all thought it a little strange, he was only mid to late fifties, and taking early retirement is a luxury that most at his age cannot afford. He wasn't leaving for a new job – it really was retirement, and he cited general tiredness and aching joints as another reason. He just couldn't do it anymore. Fair enough we all thought, good luck to you mate!
A little time went by, and we didn't hear anything more from Jim. Strange, as many of us socialize out of work or at least stay in contact. We'd often have a drink after work, and at the weekends play golf. Jim was one of my golf buddies during the summers, so I would definitely call him a friend, more so than simply a colleague. And there were others closer to him than me. But even they heard nothing more from Jim. And he didn't play golf anymore. It was as if Jim had fallen off the edge of the earth.
More time went by, and though Jim wasn't forgotten, it was simply accepted that Jim had moved on, was doing his own thing enjoying his retirement, and that was that. Until yesterday, when I heard some news.
I was with a work partner, Mike, a good friend with whom I've worked closely with in the job since 2004, (alongside Jim) and he was moaning and groaning about how he just couldn't take this s__t anymore. I agreed. I know his pain. The job wasn't the same, the managers were all [insert expletive], all these new rules, regs and restrictions were sucking the life (and joy – what little there was) from our work environment. He wanted to take early retirement, like Jim, but just couldn't afford it. 'Jim did a runner on all of us, he said. Lucky bastard…'
I replied, 'what are you talking about? '
Quietly, Mike replied, 'No one ever said anything about what happened to Jim...but I still see his daughter from time to time, so I know.' 'Know what?' I asked. 'I shouldn't really say anything, but **** it, who cares anymore.'
And then I found out (and later received confirmation from another source). 'Jim won the lottery, didn't he.'
OMG
He did. And not just the National Lottery as it turns out, he won the "Euromillions" (European-wide lottery). It is believed he pocketed some tens of millions of pounds. On a side-note, he is the second person from my department (only about 30 people) who have won the lottery! About 7 or 8 years ago another guy netted about 3 million I think – he also 'disappeared' without a trace, taking early retirement at aged 22.
I couldn't believe this. Jim, a multi-multi-millionaire. And he took off without a word (except a lie, actually).
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this stroke of fortune changed Jim, a really nice, affable down-to-earth guy, with whom I have shared many many laughs (and a few beers) – not to mention rounds of golf. After this, never heard from him again. I felt most sorry for Mike though, who's even a few years older than Jim. He wants desperately to retire, but can't afford it. All Jim had to do was write (from his great fortune) a very small cheque indeed, say a hundred grand, and he would make it so. Mike never directly heard from Jim again either. Jim basically packed up his life and disappeared (he's maybe swanning around in his mansion in St. Tropez right now – or who knows?)
I don't begrudge Jim at all. The more I think about it, the more frightening the idea of massive wealth is to me. Imagine it. Imagine the attraction of no limits, no boundaries, no restrictions at all. Imagine the...lure of all things self-indulgent, that you've never been able to afford before. But then consider the potential cost (of a different kind than financial). Someone has to lose out. Sometimes many lose out. What of your former friends for example, or even those in your closest circle? Because now YOU have ultimate power to determine who gets what, and how much, or nothing at all; you literally have the Power over so many people's lives, now and for the rest of their lives. What a responsibility, what a burden!
There is with wealth a really big moral impasse. How much power will temptation have over you? There is always going to be a natural materialistic desire to horde/save/invest/spend, but in contrast to this (at least with me) there would be the very strong tug of conscience, that says you must do something good, you must do something beneficial, not just for the people around you, but for humanity (I can envision an Avalon Project going BIG, for example, going mainstream).
In my opinion wealth, supreme multi-million pound/dollar wealth, can be as much a curse as it is a blessing. I think Jim may have lost more than he gained. I wonder where he is now. I wonder if he regrets what happened. Maybe he's still in a place of such great enjoyment he hasn't got there yet, or simply doesn't care. He's mega rich, right? How long though before conscience comes calling? As I still try to process this news, I ask the question:
-What would you do if millions just fell on your lap out of a clear blue sky?
-And how would it change you?
Or in a different analysis, what would you THINK, and how would you react, if a friend or relative won this amount of money? Because from here on, everything would change (including them, unfortunately).