What's it all for?

I often imagine myself with all the wealth, fame and luxuries in life that most ordinary people seek. Unlimited money, extravagent vacations, no worries at all. These types of fantasys have been perpetuated by a never ending stream of motion pictures, music videos and celebrity media. Then reality hits me. When did the pursuit of happiness become the pursuit of material possesion. Whatever happened to the buddihst ideals of self enlightenment and traveling inward to find peace. When people say that you take nothing with you from this life to the next I only partially agree. We cannot take anything material with us when we transcend. No Bentleys, mansions or 1000 dollar outfits will be accompanying us on our travel in to our next stage of conciousness. We will however, keep with us the residual energy of how we spent our time in this life. Everyday I see people who are utterly miserable because they feel like they need more to own. People all around the world do terrible, evil things to gain that which they can only possess for a small time. Lives are ruined and souls are sold in the ever so human search for fortune. It is in times like this when I am reminded that fortune is not a measure of collections but a mental state of appreciation for what we are and what we can accomplish simply by harnessing the positive energy around us. Why would I choose to spend the short time I have in this existence searching for things that im told i need instead of appreciating that which I already have and trusting in the universe's circular energy to create more for me? My promise to myself is this, the only things that I want when I leave this life is the love of the people I took the journey with and one last human smile on my face that I can be buried with. A simple dream of a simple man. On my final day when they ask what my smile was for, you can tell them that it was because i had a secret. Ill tell you what it is in the next life.