Anxiety can exist for the acquisition of what we see ourselves as lacking. Having acquired what we desire, anxiety can then center around a fear of losing what we have. Both the lack and the presence of possessions can fuel anxiety. Anxiety, then, seems to be a state of mind and related to the manner in which we see ourselves and our lives. It seems to arise from our relationship with people and environment, our relationship with property and possessions. How we see and relate, how we understand and manage seems to be the key to our own happiness and fulfillment. The accumulation of possessions is not the panacea for all ills although it may seem so. Accumulation based on greed may signal the beginning of problems and the break-up of relationships.

How can we distinguish between a necessary augmentation of our material resources and senseless accumulation that fuels anxiety and greed? The source of our desires can be need or greed. While the former can be life enhancing, the latter may imply a poverty of vision and thinking that is in inverse proportion to our accumulation and acquisition. The first question that one has to ask oneself at every step of the journey of life is: Is my decision based on need or greed? The mind can be elusive and deceptive in its responses. It may be easy to rationalize and explain greed in terms of need. Therefore, what is of the essence is not the need to explain to and convince others but the need to arrive at clarity and conviction in one's own mind. Does our decision or need to acquire stem from a specific requirement of our daily lives or a vague, all consuming desire for more? This seems to be a key question in deciding whether need or greed is dictating our drive for acquisition.

If acquisition of money, of assets, of position, power and status is a fortress that protects us, who or what is the invisible enemy that we are being protected from? Is it anyone other than oneself? If we are our own worst enemies, how can accumulation and acquisition protect us? Rather, we are likely to be trapped in a fortress of our own making. A magnificent skyscraper which feeds our illusions of glory can become a source of terror and a trap when it crashes or catches fire. Similarly, our painstakingly acquired and cunningly accumulated possessions can become the source of our greatest fears and anxieties. Isn’t it ironic that what is sought as a source of security can actually cause worry and sleepless nights? Such is the nature of acquisition motivated by greed.

Since illusions have the power to thrill us and deceive us with a false sense of security and fulfillment that soon evaporates to create its opposite, we must be watchful of ourselves and our acquisitive instincts. To lead a meaningful life with a clearly perceived sense of meaning and direction, we must clearly distinguish between need and greed. This is to be done ourselves, to live happier lives with greater peace of mind, not to explain to and convince another of our lack of greed. The need to convince another arises as a form of self justification, an exercise of the ego in building and protecting a self image. In reality, decisions based on need are appropriate and life enhancing while those based on greed may ruin our peace of mind and our relationships. It is towards this end that each of us must examine and investigate our drive for acquisition.

If one's drive for acquisition is motivated by fear, insecurity, greed and comparison with others, the quest for fulfillment may be never ending. One might live in constant discontent and despair. Contentment and peace of mind are the greatest riches we can possess. These are treasures that can enrich our lives till our last breath. All we need to do is to free ourselves from the shackles of illusions that accumulation and acquisition is an antidote to our fear and insecurity. In a direct perception free from misconceptions and illusions, we shall find the contentment and peace of mind that will enrich our lives beyond measure.