G-d loves simple people. There is a certain comfort and purity of living a life of simplicity.

No one to impress with fancy cars or luxuries. One’s bank account has an average balance with 3 digits instead of 8. You have to save money to purchase certain high price goods – like those over $100. Money has value and people have value.

The values of people outweighs their net worth. It is not what you have but who you are that matters.

Enter the world of illusion – TV, the Big Screen, Super Heros and Sports Heros.

I recently overheard a conversation of some young kids.

It went something like :

“Do You have a Role Model?”

“Yes”

“My Role Model is Rocky Balboa. He is a boxer.”

“What?! Your aspirations are to hit people?”

“No. It is the guy who plays the boxer…. He acts so smooth and suave.”

“Maybe it is just an act? How do you know that he doesn’t get very angry and shout at people?”

“No. I saw him on many interviews….”

A Role model is someone you wish to emulate. Someone you wish your life would be like theirs.

The illusion of the world of glamour makes us imagine the good but disregard the bad.

So we buy the magazines, the styles, and follow the fads as if they were written the guidebook for life.

But let’s take a step back for a moment.

We also have good in our lives. Happy moments. Positive relations with family members and dear friends. Moments of enjoyment and triumph.

Then our imagination takes over. Like a Film Editor, it takes the jumbled scenes and splices the good of our life with the glamour of the star’s life – giving us a false impression that stardom is what I aspire to, that being a sports star is all glory no pain.

One may think: “The boss understands me so well. Why doesn’t my husband?” “That girl is so down to earth – she makes me feel good. What’s the difference if I marry out of my faith?” “That secretary is so well in control – not like my wife.” “That man in the novel is so romantic, I’ll wait to get married until I find someone similar.”

So the imagination takes you away from reality to make a beautiful ending. But the true ending is hidden. Hidden from you so that you just follow the waves of emotion – until the harsh reality wakes you up. Divorce after 20 years of marriage. Kids confused, lonely, sad spending one weekend with a different parent or grandparent. Staying single till old age.

There is the illusion.

Everyone has ups and downs. Each one has good points in their life to appreciate. But the imagination does not want you to see the downs of wealth. “Just look at the Glamour. Don’t look at the hard work and deceptions encountered to reach the top.” The time to study and practice hours upon hours hitting the tennis ball or baseball. The negative repercussions of following only after the heart.

The question we should ask ourselves is – is giving up the good that we already have in our lives worth it to receive the honor, recognition and wealth of others?

Most times a person will think and say “not really.”

You already have a head start in being happy. When we see the good in our lives by appreciating that which we have already – and work on improving life and appreciating others – it makes for a life of satisfaction.

A simple life with authenticity is greater than one of glamour and illusion.

A simple message from the Torah.