The "Why"

There is a lot going on in my life, just like I am sure there is a lot going on in yours. We are all busy people. I always am asking myself “How did I get so busy?”.

That is a good question. In today’s culture we sleep less, work longer, drive father, spend more, and in many ways have less. No I don’t mean that we have less stuff, because I can look in my own home and see that I don’t have less stuff. I have too much stuff. I am able to say this because after having five kids in the house and having them move out, I can now see all the stuff we don’t need any more.

We are in a world that the accumulation of more stuff somehow measures you. Now I wish I could fully say that I’m not caught up in the “stuff” and I don’t measure myself by what stuff I have. That would only be half true. With all the advertisements that we are hit with everyday it would be hard not to get a little caught up in the “stuff” race. So I try to watch myself very closely.

Example:

Lori and I were driving yesterday and I saw a Jeep, and for whatever reason I have felt like I wanted a Jeep. I even started to state how I needed a Jeep. You know for all the bad weather and all. As I shared this with Lori she could see right through it and ask me “Why?”. She is such a smart woman! She has watched me drive on average 1500 miles a week for the past 26 years without 4 wheel drive and never stating the “need” for a Jeep before.

That is such a good question. Why? Why do I want the things that I don’t have? It’s a fair question but not one that we ask ourselves too often. As I looked at my “why” I could see that it wasn’t a need but a want. That doesn’t mean that you can only have your needs and never a want. It just means that you need to be honest with yourself and know your own “why”.

As I sit here this morning I have remembered the first new car that I ever bought. It was a Jeep. I bought it right out of college and it was brand new off the dealer showroom. I was so excited to get this car and then I couldn’t wait until I could get rid of it! It turned out that I never really liked it and it just didn’t fit my needs. Maybe is still doesn’t. I don’t know why I have felt the desire to want another Jeep but I do know that I will make sure I know my “why” before I get another one.

Have a great day
PG