A lesson in life

As I stand looking at old items once loved by people who have died, I can’t help but reflect on my own life. Here, at the charity shop, I gaze over beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, books, glasses, chairs, and many other things once owned by people who valued them. Every item I see was left behind by those who are no longer alive. As I hold one of the old books and open it, I see markings and folds on some of its pages, which tell me it was once read by someone who treasured it. I wonder about my own life and all the things I value right now—the things I cherish and possess. I look at these items in front of me and realize that one day, it will be my own belongings that I leave behind too. Life is so transient and fragile. As the Bible says: “Life is like the grass of the field, here now, but gone tomorrow. It’s like a vapor which appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” As I look away from all these old items, I learn one important lesson in life: don’t hold on to anything temporary. In this life, we will leave behind every material possession, everything we own in our name. Only the things money cannot buy will remain—the value of my soul, the love I give to those around me, and the hope and joy I can bring to others. The time spent with family and friends, and the difference one life makes to another. What are you holding on to so tightly in this life?