A few years ago, I dated someone who was very particular about things. We once got in a pretty heated argument over dishes, and whether or not the brand name of dishes was important. I couldn’t care less about dishes, but this guy did. It didn’t end at dishes.
That relationship didn’t last, of course; however, there were a number of incidents like that over the brief period of time we attempted to mold our lives together. During that time, I learned a lot about him, and even more about myself.
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What’s Important vs. What’s Not Important
Do you know who the loneliest people on the planet are? The ones who feel more comforted in a house full of nice things, than in a house full of people who love them.
If that sounds harsh, consider that things cannot pick themselves up and take themselves to your funeral when you die. Things cannot give you medicine when you are sick, or hold your hand when you receive painful news.
Likewise, things are not going to cheer on your favorite football team, or take you to dinner, or congratulate you on your achievements, or wish you happy birthday, or smile at your new baby.
Things matter, but they do not matter more than people or the amazing blessing we have been given which is the human relationship.
If we lose relationships because we simply cannot agree on “things,” than we have not put things in their proper place. I am not always right, and there are compromises to be made all the time, so I’m not saying that we should all be like me (I would be happy in a shack). But part of gratitude is understanding priorities among our blessings – our relationships included – and not allowing the love of nice things to screw up what really matters.
Food For Thought
When we make out our gratitude lists, often times, we never include things like cars, big homes, or nice clothes. Why then do we place such importance on them in our day-to-day lives?
Such a great reminder to focus on what really matters in life. Thank you.
Hey Tia, Hubby and I were just taking about material things and how unimportant they are in the scope of life. I was never a I want or I need kind of girl. In fact, we laughed about how annoyed I would be when he wanted to buy me something expensive and in my mind wasteful. God, Family, and Friends… everything else is a bonus, not a necessity.
Superb post! Have a beautiful week.
This reminds me of one of my mom’s sayings “you can’t bring it with you when you die”… it always struck me funny as a kid because I thought “of course not why would I want to” but as an adult I understand what she was trying to instill… it is not about the things we have but about the mark we leave on people and the moments we get to cherish all the way through our lives… Thanks Mom!
Tia,
I love this post and your perspective! I agree with Evelyn, the food for thought hit me smack between the eyes. Wow, so true. When we pray we do thank God for a roof over our head, cars that run, food in the house and health. Amen to not letting our love of things screw things up.
Hi Tia,
I really enjoyed this post. I especially love the food for thought, because when I think about it, I never include any material things on my gratitude lists.
People and the relationships we share with those people mean so much more than material things. I think so much emphasis is put on material things because some people like to show off what they have.
Don’t get me wrong having nice things is great, but having loving and supportive people in our lives is far greater…we can never put a price tag that.
Take care,
Evelyn
P.S. Totally agree with the headline of this post.
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