I will never let possessions own me
MAY 3
These daily excerpts from Randy Kay's book Daily Keys to Success will show you how to grow your potential while expanding your personal success to lead a life of significance. You will benefit from 365 topics with ideas, tools, and tactics for living life fully.
It’s just stuff! Granted, some of it is really nice stuff, but none of our material possessions have any lasting value. One man tried. He owned a cherry- condition 1957 convertible Cadillac that he religiously cared for each day of his life. Not a scratch could be found on the car because, in order to maintain the car’s almost perfect condition, he rarely drove it. In his will, this wealthy man stipulated that he wanted to be buried with his 1957 Cadillac.
To accommodate his wish, the digging crew dug a hole large enough to fit the car and the man, who was conveniently placed in the driver’s seat per his final wish, unable to go anywhere. Ironically, he was also unaware that his spotless car was eventually covered in dirt as the crew filled-in the grave. Too bad he didn’t quite realize that the most valuable things in life—God, family, friends, love, respect, giving and knowledge—don’t cost any money, and that the return on investing in these things can endure for generations following our passing.
Things like cars, houses and most other tangibles are liabilities. They take money out of your pocket each month. Our goal should be to surround ourselves with people and things that give us true value. Certainly we should enjoy what brings us happiness, but our possessions should be weighed carefully. Am I doing what’s best for myself, or just seeking the approval of others? Is what I own preventing me from investing in more lasting and more important treasures?
Instead of spending money on things, consider spending it on experiences and understanding. When we spend money and time just to feel a certain way, like status or self-worth, maybe the possession has started to possess us. Consider instead a thing’s functionality. Disown your possessions and reinvest that time and energy into valuable relationships. The perfect balance would be to have just enough of something but not too much. Those who live with this combination are the most contented persons.
“Anything you cannot relinquish when it has outlived its usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions.” ~ Peace Pilgrim