I was born into wealth. I remember as a little girl seeing many hand-polished cars parked in our driveway.

My clothes came from one of the finest stores in Atlanta. You know-- wrapped in a beautiful box lined with tissue paper. I had gloves, hats, frilly socks and patent leather shoes that accessorized each one of my fashionable outfits. Caviar and gourmet olives were always seen in our vintage icebox, as well.

But, my family was in serious trouble. Even as a young girl I picked up on many things in the adult conversations and arguments. Our walls were very thin. I also witnessed things...too much for a little one to bear.

My parents divorced when I was four years old. Alcoholism, gambling and bad health had ruined my dad and our family. Our money and wealth seemed to disappear instantly.

We moved to Pennsylvania after the divorce was finalized; my mother's lifelong home before she married.

Mom had hoped to make a fresh start and get back on her feet. My two older brothers quit high school to work in a pea cannery to help our struggling family. The youngest of my brothers was not yet sixteen.

My mom secured a bookkeeping job earning about $50 a week. I was enrolled in first grade and my sister, Suzanne, was just a toddler. We found a small two-bedroom apartment above a grocery store. The owner had attended high school with my mom and was very kind and accommodating. He was also the proprietor of the grocery store and left food offerings on our back doorstep regularly.

We were unable to make it in this situation for long. To make matters worse, Suzanne had repeated kidney infections. We were close to destitution when my dad showed up one day. He had just been released from months of treatment at a famous hospital. He looked better than he had in years.

He brought us an offer to live together again with his wealthy parents in Canton, Georgia. As desperate people are known to do desperate things...my mother accepted.

It was okay at first, and I enjoyed the beauty of my native Georgia once again. It was nice to get new clothes and shoes, for mine had worn out in Pennsylvania. Suzanne also received a much needed surgery paid for by our wealthy grandparents.

But the sad song sang its second verse. We skidded off the good road in every way--financially, spiritually and physically. My dad returned to his alcohol and everything that went with it came back twofold.

If my mom had not freed herself and our family from our destructive dad, I am not sure where we would all be today. However, she finally made the bold decision to do so, and we moved to Florida; starting a new life in 1964.

I have experienced the best and worst of circumstances. I have possessed wealth and suffered great loss. I know what it's like to dine on a fine meal of prime rib or bean soup flavored with a scant bone.

I can tell you this without hesitation, true wealth is not about what is in your accounts or pocketbook. You can have it all, yet nothing at all.

The Bible says if you do not have love...you have nothing.

True riches of love, friendship, fellowship and good will to others make a life worthwhile...filling it with the tangible things that make our days memorable, and us, better people.

I learned how to love not by watching how it was done wrong, but how it was done correctly. Jesus Christ did that for me. He showed me how to love him back and to love others. I am glad to report that I am still learning, as I hope to graduate with honors.

My husband and I have shared a wonderful lifelong love with each other, our grown sons and their families.

We spent the day yesterday with our grandchildren, and we both came away with a sense that we were truly blessed to have such love resident in those little lives. The simplest pleasures of playing out in the yard, hearing their stories and eating meals together made us feel wealthy. That's because we really are...we're loaded.

I am a wealthy woman...not because my accountant told me so. I see and it experience it everyday.

I have love--and true wealth is mine.