Rich : is all about material possesion. (eg: owning cars, properties, gadgets, toys, etc)
Wealthy : the feeling of abundance (eg: sharing, friendship, family, love, passion, syncrodestiny, luck, etc)
This are my definition of the two. I've to admit it is more fulfilling to affirm 'I am wealthy' than 'I am rich'. To feel wealthy, U just have to 'belanja' ur friends/family over the lunch. It's a verb. To feel 'rich', U got to own something that most people can't afford, say a Porche 911 Turbo.
So, the concept between the two are mostly contradict; wealthy is about giving and sharing, whereas rich is about owning and taking. Some of U might disagree with this, as this is my personal definition.
"U make a living by what U get, but U make a life by what U give".
I love this qoute. It represent the true meaning of taking and giving. Naturally (or perhaps ironically), we are 'happier' when we give, then when we get.
For example; we all happy to receive RM50 from random occasion, but we are 'happier' to give RM 50 to charity, only if we are sincere and willingly. Try yourself the experiment today. Naturally, most of us reluctant to give at first, but with a good practice and time, it will become easier, and happier too.
As a tutor, I am happy to receive my paycheck, but I am 'happier' to teach a group of students. But it doesn't mean that I am 'happy' to do it for free. But giving the preference, we as a human are naturally happier 'to give' than 'to receive'. (If U disagree with this, the chances U are not passionately enough with what U do now).
Perhaps I'm being a sour grape here, but 'owning' something expensive doesn't makes me happier (like owning Rolex, because I cant understand its value), but 'owning' a RM10,000 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar makes my day, not because of the sake of owning it, but 'the joy of playing your passion out' intrigues me.
Realizing this, we don't need to 'own' so much thing to sustain our happiness. Because 'happiness' is in doing, not owning.