time vs. money

I have seen this face-off before
I have seen the pendulum swing one way
one day,
then the other the next.
Restraint and sacrifice, teetering between necessity
of materials,
and the necessity
of precious moments.
Sometimes we cram greatly to one extreme,
at the expense of the other
and sometimes we walk the balance beam between.
How much money will I need
to make my memories of this time pleasant?
Can I ever get enough to outweigh the loss
of seeing a child's beautiful child-smile?
When I look back on our last conversations,
will I regret that I cut them short to go to "work"?
How long does it take to realize
that you can't take it with you?
and yet...
I cannot stop thinking of money...