What’s your net worth?

Some of our legislators are making it difficult for us to have access to their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN). The explanation given for such a move is the fear that they might fall victims of extortion, should they make it easy for anybody to get a hold of their SALN. Let us leave it at that. What is your net worth? To be literal, a fisherman’s worth is what he has caught in his net. However, there are several connotations on a person’s net worth. The usual basis is monetary consideration; how much money he has in the bank.

Net worth could also be based on what you have acquired or collected that may be considered valuable— paintings, jewelry, vintage cars, bikes, Barbie dolls, Lego, life-size Transformers toys, and the list goes on and on.

Real estate properties acquired could also form part of a person’s net worth. Someone’s net worth could be on philanthropy. His contribution to society at large: Inventions, scientific studies, medical breakthroughs, discoveries, innovations etc.

An artist’s net worth is in his portfolio. A musician’s, his music sheets or masterpieces. A writer’s, his literary work. A film maker, his reel tapes.

Could a philanthropist’s contribution to foundations, hospitals, schools, homes for the aged or street children, housing for poor families, inclusive of his net worth? To be philosophical about it, I believe net worth includes the rippling effect of somebody’s charitable act of mercy and compassion.

Let us not forget that anybody walking on this planet has a net worth. It depends on your perspective. Step inside a shanty and you will find six children cuddled up in a slumber, perhaps dreaming of a better place. To their mother’s eyes, the nightly scene is her net worth; her priceless possession. Farther down the road is a child carrying a sack of garbage for recycling. The contents in the sack may be his net worth. Upon reaching the corner, you see a man taking a chance to improve his net worth. In his hand is a lotto ticket. Should he win the lottery, his net worth could change.

What is your net worth? Know your worth, then work on how to use it to make a difference.