I keep hearing people grumble about how they made less than last year’s earnings—mostly by only one or two thousand dollars—as they get their W2s and W9s in this year. Frankly, it’s getting on my nerves, because these aren’t homeless people, or people who are a step from being homeless, or even people who are struggling all that much (though some are definitely struggling a bit).

My husband and I made slightly more than last year—less than a thousand—only because I picked up a bit of work at one of my regular gigs, but we were prepared for less, since we both had some cuts last year (him with layoffs, me with time constraints between freelancing and homeschooling—not to mention my leaving one company early in the year that wasn’t fulfilling its end of our contract). The thing is, the fact that we made a bit more really didn’t affect us all that much; we’re still struggling as much as we were, we’re still living within our means as best as we can, and we still opt to pay for our kid’s taekwondo rather than going out for our date nights. (Staying in is more fun, anyway!)

I get that not being able to pay for bills or medicine or food is a very big problem, and one that is related to money. If that is your lament, that's definitely a valid one. But to woe over so-called lost funds when they weren't necessary--other than to unecessarily upgrade an automobile or holiday gifts--is silly.

The point is, I’m tired of us equating our worth, and our very lives, on what we make. I always wax on about how we need to redefine what success means in terms of education; I think what we really need to do is redefine—or simply eliminate the definition of—success, period. When did success start meaning money, anyway? A hundred years ago, wouldn’t success have meant having babies that lived past infancy—who didn’t succumb to illness or the cold or hunger or even a wild animal? Didn’t it used to mean having a successful crop to feed one’s family? What about simply being able to love who you choose, raising a family, keeping a home, and simply not dying? When did cars and fancy shoes and other status symbols enter the picture?

We should also be happy that we have jobs and are making money, period. That aside, I would love to be able to spread the message that we are more than what we make, what our credit scores are, our perfect attendance records despite surgery recovery or soccer games missed. It would be an amazing 2011 if what everyone took from the year is that there is so much more worth living for than money.