Keep focused on the important things in life

Have you ever stopped to think about what’s really important in life?

Material things may bring us momentary pleasure but they can’t replace our life experiences.

There isn’t a thing in this world that can’t be taken from you in an instant. A house, car, relationships, special treasures – all those things can be destroyed in a heartbeat. Even the next hour of your life is not promised. For the sake of argument, I want to move forward though as if we will all live long, full lives.

I first began thinking of these things in my teenage years as I was learning about my Christian faith. It was pretty heady stuff for a young person to contemplate and it’s still hard to wrap my head around now in my 50s. The Bible makes it clear that nothing we have in this life carries over to the next. The only true thing of value is our relationship with Jesus Christ. I say that because I believe it. I’m not here to proselytize (OK, maybe I am just a little), but I believe that a relationship with Jesus is the only way to Heaven and eternal life.

I also know that it is in my nature to be a greedy, little packrat. I like getting things and I generally hold onto them. I call it collecting. Others, including my wife, call it junk. I have saved really odd stuff, such as nearly every press pass I’ve been given and all the flip cards (cards with brief information about players) from every professional football game I have covered. I’ve saved a bunch of the newspapers that I’ve been published in, which takes up a lot of space. I have many boxes of photos and negatives from my early days in photography and more recent stacks of discs with digital pictures in storage.

The point is, I have a lot of stuff (or does it have me?). Most of it has no intrinsic value to anyone but me, and maybe some historian a couple hundreds of years in the future. It’s sentimental clutter and I should get rid of a lot of it. I won’t. It’s worth the sentimental value to me. Most of the things I’ve saved are reminders of great experiences I’ve had. The objects themselves have no real value but the memories are priceless.

And it’s the memories – the thrill and joy of the experience – that no one can ever take away from you. You can be stripped of everything you own but no one can take away from you the things you have done. The places you go and the things you see and do are yours forever as long as you remember them. It’s when we lose our memories that we lose the things we treasure the most. I have a loved one very close to me with Alzheimer’s disease. While the things he owns are important and have value, his most prized possession – his mind – is slowly vanishing.

It’s incredibly heartbreaking to watch. I can only imagine what it’s like to experience it. I pray every day for him and hold out hope that a cure for all forms of dementia is found sooner than later.

If you don’t have your memories, what do you have? There may come a day when all the trinkets of my life are all I have to serve a memory triggers or proof of things I’ve done. There is no way any of them will have monetary value until they are old enough to become historic artifacts. By that time, I won’t benefit from them and I highlight doubt my children and grandchildren will hold on to them long enough for that to happen.

So, for me, the stuff I have is valuable and it gives me pleasure. At the same time, I can’t help but wonder what all this stuff is robbing from me. The time I spend packing and storing it, and taking it out and reminiscing over it, is time I could be spending on something better. I choose not to think of it as a time thief, but rather as a time reminder.

All of this rambling brings me back to my original point: What is really important in life? The answer is this: Living life to its fullest. Enjoy time with your family and friends. Engage in experiences that make you happy and push your limits. Be in the moment. Don’t let life pass you by. This is the only life you get here on Earth.

That being said, don’t be self-absorbed or narcissistic. The best that you can be is what you give to others. As Zig Ziglar used to say, “You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

What you give comes back to you many times over. Put God first. Heavily invest your time and treasure in your spouse and children. Be generous to others. In doing so you create close relationships and great memories. You will enjoy the best that this life has to give.

If you noticed the list of my collections earlier, they are all keepsakes of my life experiences. I haven’t acquired them through wealth. Along the way I have shared my experiences and passions with others. It’s my way of giving back. People enjoy the pictures I take and the stories I write. I also give a lot through various volunteer efforts. I say these things not to be vainglorious, but to let you know that in giving I have received a rich, happy life. You can, too, as long as you stay focused on the important things in life. For me, that is my faith, family, and having fun.