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Could the reading be more timely?
I agree completely that "our souls and the lives of others hang in the balance." Whatever you think the soul is, I know that the more I believe and act on the myth of scarcity, the more my troubled my soul becomes, and the more lives I threaten (including my own.)
How much sleep has been lost, how much worry and anxiety has been caused by the fear that "I won't have enough!" or "What if someone breaks in?" How many alarm systems, how much insurance, how big a portfolio will it take to make us feel "safe."
My hoarding not only compromises the lives of those who must make and provide and live without, but my fears and anxiety also endanger my own life. As a nation, we one of the 'sickest' populations, with two of the greatest causes being stress-related illness and diseases that result from over-consumption. If we don't kill ourselves with worry, we'll eat ourselves to death.
The richest person is satisfied with what she/he has. The poorest will never be satisfied.
God, help me live every day, knowing that more will never be enough.
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I think that by nature we assume scarcity. This is for survival. We've learned since time began to stock-up or hoard 'for the winter' so we can feed ourselves and our families. I think it takes a conscious effort to assume abundance. Unfortunately, we have learned to assume scarcity to an unreasonable level. We've allowed society to influence us in this way; the media, our neighbors, families, friends, jobs, etc,. We are in constant competition with each other and with ourselves. We are told that buying more stuff will make us feel better and make us whole. However, acquiring more things doesn't make one happy or 'abundant'. Relationships, unconditional love, involvement and hope help to fill that void or feeling of scarcity.
ReplyDeleteAlso, our attitude towards abundance and scarcity effect others. Haven't you been around people who just can't buy enough or be satisfied with the latest and greatest gadgets? What are these people teaching their children? Growing up I experienced both scarcity and abundance with my parents. The scarcity made me appreciate the abundance but in a different way. I told myself then that there was more to life than expensive clothes, nice cars and a lot of cash to blow. A few years ago a very good friend gave me a little book called Attitudes of Gratitude. There is one passage in which M.J. Ryan talks about the 'gimme hole' and how it's impossible to fill up. There is also a quote from Joseph Addison that says,"the grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for". Too bad those folks on Wall Street didn't follow that philosophy!
Midge, what more to say than yes and yes. Unlearning to hoard is the key. But we are adaptable creatures, capable of change, and we believe in a God of transforming power.
ReplyDeleteMay we be open to the possibilities.
All I can say is that if you need yarn, fabric, or books - my house is the place. I think I started acquiring more books than I can possibly read in my lifetime as some sort of life preserver or security after Brad's death...
ReplyDeleteNow let's see if I can post this!
Ha ha - I posted as my son - let's try this again
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to post as myself - Mary Kooistra- I think some of us tech challenged people might have this problem