During the Vietnam War, an admiral in the US navy, James Stockdale, was captured. His observations in prison led him to conclude: "The optimists were the first to die. They were the ones who blindly believed everything would work out. They always said, 'We will be freed by Christmas!' When it was Christmas and they were not freed yet, they would say, `We will definitely be out of here by Easter.' When it was Easter and they were still in prison, they would say, 'We will be freed by Thanksgiving.' However, when Thanksgiving came and went, they were still around. Because of overly high expectations and harsh conditions in prison, they finally died broken-hearted."

Actually, this is the case in all situations. We should neither be too pessimistic nor too optimistic in life. We should abide in the middle way, go with the flow, and understand all things are impermanent, like a dream or illusion. With the right view and attitude, we can be free from the grip or hold that wealth has on us. With money, we can be happy; without money, we can be equally carefree.

This is how the Buddhist teachings can be applied to life.

~ Depicted from ARE U READY FOR HAPPINESS : The Significance of Buddhist Philosophy Today