Dear April, I Guess I’m Rich

April is my birthday month, and I’ve always used it as an excuse to treat myself to something a little extra. This year, in preparation for our upcoming trip to Japan (and the thousands of steps it’ll no doubt entail) I had my eyes on a new pair of rubber shoes. But while browsing the store, something else caught my attention: a trendy pair I’d seen a lot of people wearing.

I didn’t need them, nor had I budgeted for them, but I found myself trying them on anyway. The store clerk, clearly hoping to double her commission, eagerly encouraged me. “They’ll be a great addition to your wardrobe,” she said, with a smile and the kind of practiced confidence only a seasoned salesperson can pull off.

I was this close to buying them when I paused. I didn’t really go out that often. I came for rubber shoes, not a new statement piece. I was already leaning toward walking away when the sales lady, perhaps as a last-ditch effort, blurted out, “Akala ko pa naman mayaman kayo, ma’am!”(I thought you were rich, ma’am!)

It was just a tactic, a little ego nudge—but it hit me. When did buying more than we need become the definition of being rich?

I laughed off her comment and bought the shoes I originally came for. Still, her remark lingered. How much of what we own is truly based on what we need, versus what the world tells us we should have?

I’ve never been one to follow trends too closely, though I understand the occasional urge to splurge. Life is hard. Sometimes we just want something that makes us feel good. But as I get older, I realize that the true mark of being "rich" isn’t about being able to afford every want or whim—it’s being able to say, wholeheartedly, that I have enough.

Because really, how many people can say that? To wake up and feel no pressing desire to buy or prove or chase? To be content, not out of resignation, but out of deep gratitude?

This month’s PULSE cover story reminded me of that. Dan Cruz, the founder of Ecowise, built a brand on the belief that sustainability should be for everyone, not just for the wealthy. He didn’t start with a business degree or a perfect plan. He started with a childhood memory: fishing with his father in once-pristine waters that, over time, became choked with plastic. That memory led him to create a dissolvable dishwashing tablet—less water, no plastic waste, and completely accessible.

His story is a powerful reminder that richness isn't about having more. It's about using what you have with purpose.

So as we celebrate sustainability this April, I encourage everyone to start with asking the question of having enough.

Sustainability may be a complex issue tied to economics, social systems, and politics but it can also start small. With you. With one thoughtful decision. With the choice to cook instead of order out. With the candy wrapper you keep in your pocket until you find a bin. With the shoes you choose not to buy.

This month, let’s practice the radical act of contentment. Because when we are truly happy with “just enough,” we leave more room to share, to give, and to build a world where maybe—just maybe—we all feel a little richer.