It was one of those days. I was standing still and was sweating. I could have turned on the air conditioner in the house but my wife says I’m cheap. I prefer to call it frugal. So we did the next best thing. We got into the air-conditioned car and drove to the air-conditioned mall for a slice of pizza.
After the pizza and an hour of roaming two levels of stores I realized there was not one thing in Macy’s, Sears, Penny’s and all the other stores that I wanted or needed. You could turn me loose with a hundred dollar bill and it would be safely returned to you an hour later. This is a bit disturbing. How can it be? Is it because I already have everything a human could possibly need? Could it be that I have grown old and products are designed for younger people’s tastes? Could it be I think just about everything I saw was overpriced? Could it be I am more than a bit put off by a super-consumptive culture? Could it be that I think 90% of what is in that mall is not needed by anyone? Probably the answer is a combination of all of the above.
When I was little heaven was described to me as a place full of things that would make me happy. I loved Christmas because I would get things. I used to watch The Price is Right because of all the things people won. When we watch the people in some places in the world being so grateful just to be alive and have their loved ones and watch those who no longer have their loved ones, we understand life isn’t at all about things. Life is about loving people and being loved.
Written by Roger Bothwell on May 31, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org