It's amazing how the things that matter change as we grow older. Depending on the stage of life, everyone has different concerns and different priorities. I think back to middle school when my stressors were what was I going to wear to the Valentines dance, and even more important was who am I going to ask to be my date or will I get asked? I laugh at those moments now, but at the time, they seemed to be top priority. When I was in middle school and high school, my parents never had as much money as a lot of the other kids. That being said, I learned how to make friends based on being a nice person and having a good personality. At the time, I didn't mind that I couldn't wear Abercrombie. Granted, I was a little too chunky for them anyways, but I digress. Like I said, I didn't mind, but I did sometimes wish I had what some of the other kids had. That feeling eventually faded, and in high school and college, I didn't care at all. By that point I was becoming my true self, and I began to realize how unimportant those things are. Fast forward to current times, and I sit here a person who has very little desire for material possessions. I love nice things, but I put absolutely no worth in them. I dated someone a little over a year ago who was completely opposite of me. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but I look back and realize how it never was going to work. The things that many women would have a fit over are not as intriguing to me. Getting Coach purses, eating at fancy restaurants, and such are awesome, but for me it's the memories that hold the value. My most prized possessions are my pictures I have of some of the greatest and not so great moments of my life. My relationships with my friends and my family which are one in the same are far greater to me than any item the world can provide. I would choose coffee with a great guy and a stroll under the stars over fancy food all day, every day. I started this post by talking about how our concerns and priorities change over time. Even though i've never put great worth in the all mighty dollar, I can say that over time that worth has faded even more. The most important things in life for me are whether I am honoring God with my everyday actions and how I can make that better. The highlights of my days are to hear good news from my family of renewed health, praises of new found hope and faith, and the well being of my friends and their beautiful babies. Those are big things. Those are things that matter, and they have worth. I don't have to put on heirs, and neither does anyone else. It would be amazing to see how things would change if more people took this approach. I don't want to give the impression that I am downing capitalism or money in the corporate sense. That's not the kind of money handling i'm referring to. This is strictly about what we put our worth in. I have a full time job that pays my bills, and ensures me the right to live a tight, but simple life. My focus is more on what we place value in as a society. Simple things are truly more worthy than what many people realize. We can enjoy nice things, but let's not rely on them. Work hard, play hard, but lets just keep in mind that after our time is done on this Earth, the money isn't going with us. The people we are and how we treated society is what will stand out to our families, our friends and acquaintances, and most importantly to God. I'm writing this post not just for others to read, but as a reminder to myself when I start to put too much worth in things that are unimportant. In Mitch Albom's "Tuesday's With Morrie," there is a great quote by Morrie Schwartz that I've thought of often ever since I first read it. In his last days on this earth Morrie explains to Mitch what is most important in life. He says,“But I do know we’re deficient in some way. We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don’t satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.” I agree with Morrie.
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