"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly."
Thomas Paine
US patriot & political philosopher (1737 - 1809)
The things we get too easily are seldom cherished as the things which we work hard or struggle to obtain. The thing, apparently, is in the doing. The becoming is in the being. They are intertwined. The road less traveled is the pathway to where we want to be. It is indeed the narrow gate. It is indeed the eye of the needle. It is apparently designed that way for a reason. That reason is growth of the person; development of the soul. Becoming, in so many ways, whom we wish to become, and accomplishing the things closest to our hearts. I have been thinking on such things lately. I have been thinking about what may be my throwaway treasures, and what things have lasting value. Treasures at the very core of my heart. Treasures that will last. At the end of the day, what will not be chaff? What will not be burned away? It behooves me to consider these things in this Lenten season.
I often think (fantasize) about winning the Lotto. Quite a life-changer, no doubt. But at what cost? We all know of the benefits of such a windfall, but when you get in to super-large numbers, the mind rebels at considering the drawbacks (the rich young ruler sadly walking away from the Lord).
Don't get me wrong. I'd love to be the guinea pig in that experiment. I'm just contemplating this stuff. I wonder how something like that would change my heart. It would be a lie for me to say that things would not change in many ways. But I am talking about the fundamental part of me. How would that be impacted? Would winning the lotto feel different than earning a fortune by the sweat of one's brow? No doubt. But would the results be the same? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
It's good for me to think on these things.
2 comments:
I tried explaining this train of thought to someone, and boy, was it hard to get across! Most people just hit a wall when they try to get past the thought that money always makes everything better. They don't want to believe that sometimes money adds to the unhappiness in a life.
So true. Most people won't even consider that line of thought.
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