Huguette Clark

I recently came across a story about Huguette Clark. Huguette has just celebrated her 104th birthday in New York City. She is the heiress of millions of dollars left to her by her father who made his fortune in Montana copper mines. She presently owns three homes: a $100 million home in Santa Barbara, a $24 million country home in Connecticut and $100 million apartment in New York City, overlooking Central Park. Having this much money and three beautiful homes, and living to the age of 104, one would think that Huguette Clark's life has been wonderful, happy and carefree. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Huguette has lived as a recluse for the most of her adult life. She has not visited any of her homes in over twenty-two years. She has staff in her homes who have worked for her for over fifty years and have yet to meet her! Her only friend (to whom Huguette once gave $10 million) now has Alzheimer's and can no longer visit her. She has no children, no family and no friends. She celebrated her 104th birthday alone in a hospital room in New York, where it is claimed she has lived for over twenty years. In comparision, while most of us do not have millions of dollars or beautiful homes across the country, we have family and friends to celebrate our birthdays with. Our homes may be far less elegant than Ms. Clark's, but we enjoy them. We have a great deal less money than she does, but we have so much more of what really counts: love of life, joy of friendships and closeness of family. Having everything in life that makes us happy, even if it is not millions of dollars . . . . it's a good thing!