Wednesday, September 24, 2014

The Bracelet

Brenda and I were strolling on the beach at Panama City Beach right at the end of July.  There in the sand, in the wave-wash was a most precious bracelet.  I saw what was written on it, and quickly put it on my own wrist, without so much as offering it to my dear wife.

I have continuously worn that precious bracelet since that day.  It is very valuable to me.

The value does NOT lie in the materials which comprise it.  The total materials must be less than a nickel, and doubtlessly less than a dime.  The value is in what it says.

No price can account for the valuable message inscribed, really printed, on that cheap little bracelet.

It's value is its reminder.  It reminds me that my time in this world is very limited.  It reminds me that I was made for another world, not this one.  It tells me not to put too much stock in my job, my house, my work.  It tells me I am temporary, this world is temporary, and all it contains will pass away.  There's no point getting too angry about worldly disappointments.  There's no point in expecting too much from people.  There's no point in getting too comfortable.  There's no point in accumulating a lot of possessions or money.

I need to be reminded of all this.  I forget over and over.  I am surrounded by all these things, and people and enterprises are shouting a contradictory message loudly and often.

"How can we get all that on one bracelet"? you ask.

"We can get that from a single word". I declare.

What's the magic word?


1 comment:

  1. Great post! You need to fix the error in the last sentence of the first paragraph. I think you meant to say "wrist" but said "risk" instead.

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