A few weekends ago my wife and I attended an estate sale located in our community at the home of a neighbor who had recently passed away. Our neighbor had lived such a full life with more twists and turns in it than two or three people put together and we really liked her. She was in poor health and slowly over time we began to see her less around the community, until one day we realized that she wasn’t there anymore.
My wife was already in her place when I walked in . . .
At first it was kind of interesting to see what the inside of her unit looked like. She was such an interesting woman, so it was insightful to see what was on her bookshelves and in her movie collection. We even picked up a few small things that we could use and also that reminded us of her.
I wondered “is this what life comes to?” We work all our lives to buy homes, cars, fill it with stuff-only to possibly have strangers rummage through it when we’re gone. I’m pretty sure there were things in her unit that she was so proud of, that perhaps defined her in some ways, that other people just glossed over as ‘junk.’
Is this why we work so hard? Is this why we stress about climbing the corporate ladder? Is this why some choose to lie, cheat and steal to get to the top? To close the sale? To meet their quotas?
Is this why we spend hours and hours away from those we love, spend it with some people that we don’t always like, miss little league games, miss soccer games and ballet recitals? Just to accumulate stuff that someone will either one day buy for a quarter or will be loaded up on to a van and donated to a Goodwill or Salvation Army?
I’m not suggesting that everyone get off the grid, live off the land and take a lifetime siesta…hmmm, well, doesn’t sound so bad sometimes…but perhaps we should all take some time, and often, to think about what we are really living for.
Is what I’m doing truly worthwhile? Is this what I wanted to do with my life? Is this what I want to remembered for when my days on are over? Is the price I’m paying worth the price?
Now it’s your turn! What are you living for?
My wife was already in her place when I walked in . . .
At first it was kind of interesting to see what the inside of her unit looked like. She was such an interesting woman, so it was insightful to see what was on her bookshelves and in her movie collection. We even picked up a few small things that we could use and also that reminded us of her.
I wondered “is this what life comes to?” We work all our lives to buy homes, cars, fill it with stuff-only to possibly have strangers rummage through it when we’re gone. I’m pretty sure there were things in her unit that she was so proud of, that perhaps defined her in some ways, that other people just glossed over as ‘junk.’
Is this why we work so hard? Is this why we stress about climbing the corporate ladder? Is this why some choose to lie, cheat and steal to get to the top? To close the sale? To meet their quotas?
Is this why we spend hours and hours away from those we love, spend it with some people that we don’t always like, miss little league games, miss soccer games and ballet recitals? Just to accumulate stuff that someone will either one day buy for a quarter or will be loaded up on to a van and donated to a Goodwill or Salvation Army?
I’m not suggesting that everyone get off the grid, live off the land and take a lifetime siesta…hmmm, well, doesn’t sound so bad sometimes…but perhaps we should all take some time, and often, to think about what we are really living for.
Is what I’m doing truly worthwhile? Is this what I wanted to do with my life? Is this what I want to remembered for when my days on are over? Is the price I’m paying worth the price?
Now it’s your turn! What are you living for?
