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Put Your Stuff in Perspective

IT’S AMAZING HOW attached we’ve become to our “stuff” in life. Imagine if you had to give up your cell phone or your computer or your iPod or your high-definition television. As much as we hate to admit it, our happiness is often tied to our gadgets, conveniences, and material possessions. Sometimes we get so consumed with our things that we need a wake-up call to gain perspective.

Several years ago my family was unexpectedly forced to evacuate our home at 5:30 a.m. Wildfires in the surrounding area had started burning out of control and the wind was picking up. As we raced to pack our most precious possessions, ash was pouring down from the sky and blowing all over our yard.

It quickly dawned on us that we didn’t have enough room in the car to bring everything we owned with us. In fifteen minutes or less and with limited capacity for luggage, what do you take? We scrambled to find our passports, laptops, and important house documents. Next we grabbed our wedding album, baby pictures of the kids, and some random family photos. Finally, we packed enough clothes to last a few days. That was it: the car was full and time was running out. I threw in a few bottles of water and some treats for the dog, and then we got out of there.

It all felt so crazy and rushed. But once we had driven about an hour and were safely outside the reach of the fires, we had more time to contemplate our situation. Earlier that morning we had been obsessed with trying to take everything we owned with us in the car—now the only thing that mattered was that our family was together and out of harm’s way. Without our even realizing it, our material possessions had become immaterial.

When the National Guard allowed us to return almost a week later, the scene was something out of a doomsday movie. There was devastation everywhere and black smoke hung thick in the air. Fortunately, the houses in our neighborhood and the surrounding area were still standing. Our home was covered in soot, but the structure itself had not sustained any damage. Many people in nearby communities, however, were not as lucky.

That evening I spoke to a friend whose house had literally burned to the ground. With surprising composure, he articulated what I had been thinking about throughout the time we had been evacuated. “We had a lot of great times in our home over the years,” he said. “We raised our kids there, we watched them grow up there, and we celebrated so many holidays and life events there. Make no mistake, we are sad that we lost our house. But at the same time we don’t have any regrets because we’ll always have our memories of the wonderful times we spent there. Not even a fire can take that away.”

When you think about it, we really don’t need most of the things we think we do. So much is just stuff that we’ve grown dependent on or have come to expect. In the end, our happiness will be measured by how we’ve lived our lives—not by the material possessions we’ve accumulated. Don’t lose sight of the important things in life. Open your eyes and put your stuff in perspective.

Measure your happiness
by how you’ve lived
your life, not by the
material possessions
you’ve accumulated.

∼ What material possessions in your life would it be tough to live without?

∼ What would life be like without this “stuff”?