First Class
Look at two people at an international airport — one,
with a large set of matching luggage — trunks,
suitcases, satchels, hatboxes, etc. — the other with no
more than a small bag. Certainly, the first seems to be
wealthier, luckier, happier. But appearances are
deceiving.
The second person, the person with no more than a bag, may be
traveling from one luxury house to another — a palace
where he need not take even a toothbrush. Both his homes
contain full sets of clothing, and any other item, large or
small, that he might possibly need.
How can we know if this is so? Let us see how he travels. If
he sits in first-class, then our assumption must be true.
Similarly, there are people who need much luggage to travel
through life. Otherwise, they will be lacking, unfortunate,
unhappy. Then there are the people who live with little. Are
these the richer or the poorer? It depends on how they
travel. If they travel first-class — if their lives are
full, satisfying, happy — if they keep smiling no
matter what happens — then we must say that they are
wealthy. We must say that they are the richer of the two.
