Make contentment your criterion of prosperity. Wealth is primarily the consciousness of abundance. Poverty is the consciousness of lack. You can be rich, though dressed in a hermit's meager clothes and housed under a tree. You can be poor though residing in a marble mansion served by bustling servants, surrounded by rich furnishings and possessing a bank account running to many millions. Another criterion of true wealth is indifference to mere opinion. You can know how rich you really are, by your measure of inner happiness. If you are burdened with excessive luxury or imprisoned by expectations of others you will pass your life miserably indeed.
