There’s this short story I read 20 years ago by Fr. Anthony De Melo, SJ and I think he entitled it “ The Meaning of Life.”

One day a young high-flying management consultant went on vacation by the beach.  He was walking along and chanced upon a fisherman lying in a hammock in the middle of the day.  So as management consultants go, he just had to tell the fisherman what to do.

“That’s why you remain a fisherman. You can be working right now and earning a little more.”

“And what would I do to if I had more money?”

“If you had more money, in a few years you could buy another boat.”

“And what would I do with another boat?”

“With another boat, you would make more money and maybe double your income.”

“And what would I do with twice my income?”

“If you had twice your income, in a few years, you could buy a third boat.”

“And what would I do with…”

At this point, the consultant was frustrated that his new client couldn’t get where the conversation was going, so he cut him off: “If you had a third boat, in a few years, you could get a fourth. And then, in a few more years, you could have your own fleet of fishing boats.”

“And what would I do with a fleet of boats?”

“Then you could stop working, lie down on a hammock in the middle of the day and enjoy the beach!”

“But that’s what I’m already doing now.”