Is Having More Worth It?

Recently I sat outside in my back yard and watched as a neighbor's, a friend's, house burned. It was dark and the flames were shooting upward towards the sky. I watched the fire fighters risking their lives to put out the flames. I prayed "Lord please let him not be home, Let all his animals be save, Let there be no harm come to any one". The fire slowly dwindle to a flicker and then was doused out. The firemen walked around inside to check for any last burning embers. I could see them through the gaping hole in what was left of his roof. They were moving around the chard remnants of what was left of his son's room. To them it was just doing their job, but to me it was an eye opener. Happily he was not home and he had taken his animals with him. I realized then at any given moment I too could loose everything, that material things are not as important as we like to make them out to be. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.

You never truly understand what it means to have nothing until it is taken away. We spend most of our lives working to make the all mighty dollar. We tell ourselves that we need to have just as much as the next guy. We tell ourselves that making more for our families is worth not being there with them. We are making their life better and easier so they don't have to suffer as we did. We try to justify our own selfish longings and our family and friends are the ones who suffer. We sacrifice our friendships for just one more hour of pay. Why bother having children if you are just going to make them cry by being away from them. Missing birthdays and Holidays just to make more and for what and at what cost? No one gave them the choice to decide if they wanted more or if they want their family together. If it is the family as a whole that has to suffer then shouldn't they have a say in the matter.


I don't want my life to be centered around what I own and what I aspire to own. I don't think we should spend our days trying to acquire bigger and better things. They are only things and they can't love you or huge you or kiss you good night. They can't be there for you when you need them. It is nice to own things and to give to your families and friends but not at that price. The price of one day coming home to your house, belongings and family gone. Regretting that you never got to say goodbye or that you wished you had more time with them. I want to be known and remembered for the love I shared with family and friends. We can't take it with us when we leave and frankly I wouldn't want too. I wouldn't want to mess up heaven like we did our planet. Take time for family and friends or even just time for yourself. You will find that your life is a whole lot happier if you do.