My wife once worked at a mall where Barbara Bush was touring for a photo op. Yes, that Barbara Bush, matriarch of the American political dynasty. Wife of one president, mother of another. As you can tell, we Americans have a rich history of defying monarchies.
Anyway, a friend of my wife, a guy who worked at a bakery, made Mrs. Bush a cookie, just for her. As she strolled through the mall on a practice run, he offered it to her.
Mrs. Bush politely refused the cookie and said, “It looks delicious but they won’t let me have it.”
There are different ways to interpret Mrs. Bush’s words.
Maybe she genuinely didn’t want the cookie and didn’t want to hurt the man’s feelings.
Or maybe, and I think more likely, because of her high-profile position, she was wise to refuse food from a stranger. It might be poisoned. The “They” who wouldn’t let her have it were her bodyguards and security team. Such is the life of the rich and powerful: full of distrust.
I like this anecdote for its muted sadness and the wisdom it reveals.
We working-class folk look at celebrity and riches with such envy. They seem to have everything. But there is so much they don’t have. We don’t see the price they pay for all that glitz.
I’ve said it before. It’s worth repeating: Money has a cost.
Gestures of small kindness are blocked for being too risky. Those around you can never be trusted, do they love you or do they love your influence? People fake their entire lives, all in the name of being near power and wealth. There is nothing some won’t do for riches.
The life that looks great from the outside isn’t always so great. Less has a whole lot more.
I first encountered this wisdom at the ending of the 1974 film The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. After Sinbad rescues the king and returns the crown to him instead of keeping it, his princess friend is perplexed.
She asks him, “Sinbad, you gave away a whole kingdom, priceless treasure, why?”
Sinbad mansplains: “I value freedom. A king is not truly free. Why, he’s even told who he must marry!” Clip here: https://youtu.be/7wi4kDiOlnY?t=72
Cute, right? Good point, Sinbad. Now marry her!
Sinbad the Sailor called it, back in the 70s, before Barbara Bush and the cookie incident.
The truth hasn’t changed since then. If anything, it’s only gotten more true. There’s pros and cons to every position. You just need to appreciate where you are.