Freedom from having to get

Have you ever wanted something so badly that the object of your desire constantly occupied your thought and attention?

Maybe you wanted more income, a new car, another place to live, a date, a new LCD TV, a different job, a vacation, some respect, attention from others,…and the list could go on and on…

One rule for life I’ve learned over the years is that the thing we think we need is not as important as we think it is at the time.

It’s interesting how the human mind can get so mesmerized into thinking it needs something and can’t “live without it,” only to discover in due time, that happiness could be had just as easily without the wished for thing.

I’m not talking about necessities such as food and clothing, issues which billions of people struggle with in many parts of the world. That’s a whole different topic. I’m talking about feeling need when there is no need.

In the developed countries, where consumer goods abound and there is ready access to stuff, stuff and more stuff, people often get educated into believing they need more stuff to be happy.

My wife and I deal with this in raising our kids. Their friends have many toys and things that they do not have. And they come home and tell us about this stuff, hinting that every child should have it too, including them! Right? Wrong…

This doesn’t happen very often in our household, but when it does, we’re quick to point out that true happiness doesn’t come from all the things one might own. True joy is spiritual, and comes from feeling close to God.

Many parents might think this type of reasoning is “fantasy talk,” and won’t resonate with teenagers. But I totally disagree. It does resonate, and it works. Want and selfishness might resist at first, but if the parent is clear in their own thought that the spiritual is more important than the material, the message will get through. The child will follow the parent’s lead.

And the same rule applies to us adults as well. If you watch much TV and read many magazines, the message of “Buy this. You need it!” is felt and heard everywhere. We have to consciously resist the temptation to think we need all these things to be happy. We don’t. In fact, acquiring all the stuff can lead to greater unhappiness, because it cultivates a mindset of want, rather than a feeling of contentment and satisfaction.

There is great freedom in not wanting stuff. Letting go of a cherished desire can lift a huge burden out of consciousness that we didn’t realize was even there. Even simple acceptances like, “I don’t need that new jacket. I don’t need to eat out this week. I don’t have to read this clothing catalog,” are uplifting.

The greatest freedom doesn’t come from what we buy, but from knowing what we are—complete, whole children of God, already in full possession of the greatest assets Life has to offer—an ever-expanding knowledge of Truth and Love!

Enjoy your God-given freedom today to be happy without stuff. It’s a lot easier on your pocketbook!