Saturday, November 27, 2010

Enough


Now that the hoopla surrounding Black Friday has died down – a bit – I think it’s time for us all to sit down, have a re-think, and really take a moment to prioritize our values.

Priorities… values…two concepts that many folks have tossed out the window, it seems.

I’m all for saving a buck, but at what cost? Do we really need to drag our behinds out of bed, don a ball cap and sad track suit, and hit the stores at 3AM?

No.

Nobody needs anymore stuff.

Gadgets, gizmos, and bright shiny things ain’t what it’s all about.

It’s about connecting with one another. It’s about taking care of ourselves so that we may take care of our loved ones. It’s about realizing that everything we need already exists inside of us – if we take a moment away from the media-driven ‘you’ve got to have this or you’re a total loser’ mentality to find it.

Stuff is merely our egos talking.

Every day is Black Friday for those-so-many souls in our society who don’t have enough to eat. Nobody gives two hoots and a holler for gigantic TV’s when they have no home to hang them in. Neglected and abandoned children prefer a hug and a little quality time with some caring soul as opposed to a hand-held device that makes noise. Instead of behaving like untrained animals, why aren’t we spending a little more time helping God’s other creatures find good, loving homes?

Now, hold on there, Ms. Elegant’ you may be interjecting right about now, ‘aren’t you that same gal who stresses the importance of clothing…of surrounding ourselves with lovely things….and all that jazz?’ Yes, that’s me, and I’ll gladly share a little insight as to the workings of the fabulous little universe I’ve created for myself:

I don’t own that many clothes. People are quite shocked at the few items I actually have hanging in my closet. I don’t buy it, unless I know I’ll wear it – a lot! God gave me the talent to mix and match, so I ran with it. I drive a ten year old car that doesn’t look so great any more. It gets me from Point A to Point B, and that’s really all I’m concerned about. My home isn’t large, but it serves its purpose for the two people and the two very spoiled cats who inhabit it. We don’t have a lot of junk taking up space on walls or on shelves. The couch has definitely seen better days, but we all wind up snuggled happily together on it each evening. Nobody’s complaining. My house is clean, peaceful, and full of love and laughter, and that’s really what matters most to me.

Now, didn’t you even make an offer on Black Friday for your Facebook friends? Something about saving a little money on those Holiday Style Certificates you keep harping about?’

Yes, I did, for two reasons: I like to offer discounts to clients and future clients when I can. My main intention, however, was to keep at least one person from hitting the stores before the crack of dawn. In my humble opinion, knowing how to put an outfit together is a skill that will last a lifetime. It’s a confidence-builder, and will carry a person much farther in life than a twenty dollar bracelet marked down forty percent of its original cost.

The news reported that a local Wal-Mart lost power for a few hours on Black Friday. I can’t help but think that it may have been God sending us a message. Let’s take heed of these little signs, my friends, before it’s lights out – for good.

Beth Newman
Image Consultant/Life Coach/Author
Newman Image
www.newmanimage.info
Look, feel, and LIVE your absolute best!

No comments:

Post a Comment