Page 159 - Dash Inspirations by Linda Ellis

“Nice” Things
Things: Like falling snow, they accumulate everywhere. They can slowly steal our freedom and clutter our reality. They weigh like anchors upon our clarity of mind. They cloud otherwise transparent views of life’s beauty. They cause a misalignment in priorities.
Many people believe “things” make them happy. This may be true for some, but it is a fleeting joy that dissipates after the new wears off. As our possessions grow, they limit our ability to travel lightly upon the earth. We slowly allow them to begin representing an importance in our life. We begin to consider them as proclamations of our successes.
It is easy to gain an obsession with possessions, which I believe can began around the time we start referring to objects, belongings, and even vehicles as “nice.” Things and stuff will begin to enter our lives as something more...something we would attach our emotions to, thereby escalating their value to that which is more than merely monetary.
Let’s face it: the word nice, when used in this fashion can be substituted with the words costly or valuable. “Eleanor lives in a nice home.” “She drives a nice car.” “She has nice things.” All of these statements truly mean that Eleanor is pretty well-off financially. After all, her home could be downright obstinate, her car might interrupt conversations and belch in public, and her possessions could be offensive and ill mannered, but if they were pricey and can be envied by friends and neighbors, they are usually called “nice” regardless.
If you were to choose the top ten blessings that are present in your life right now, what would you choose? For argument’s sake, let’s say that these ten items are the only possessions you’ll be able to keep in your life from this point forward. Hopefully, not many things made it to your list, if any...not even the “nice” ones.
I’m reminded of the saying, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” The time we have on earth is precious. Things aren’t. The love we share is invaluable. Things aren’t. The laughter we exchange is spontaneous. Things aren’t. What we leave behind in the hearts and minds of others is that by which we are truly remembered. Things aren’t. Life is nice. Things aren’t.
Dash Inspirations by Linda Ellis - LindaEllis.life
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