You spend a good portion of your time protecting your possessions. You worked hard for them, so you want to make sure no one takes them from you. The problem is, you may be putting too much emphasis on them.

Consider that when you depart from this world, those possessions are no longer yours. Therefore, perhaps they never truly belonged to you. Even if you inherited them from the day you were born, somewhere along your lineage, someone didn’t have possession of them. They were acquired during the short duration of your ancestors.

It may be nice to pass on what you have accumulated to your offspring. However, the cost of acquiring those material items matters and not just regarding financial costs.

For instance, if you step on other peoples’ toes to possess those items, you may not be living properly. The relationships you form are much more important than the material items you possess.

Suppose you somehow lost some material item you valued. Perhaps you misplaced it, or it was stolen. Can’t you replace the item? It is understandable that it’s inconvenient to have to buy something that you already possessed. However, it’s not the end of the world.

Losing a family member who passes on cannot be replaced. You should hold this form of possession as being much more valuable. However, many people take this for granted until it’s too late. You don’t get back the time you spend (or don’t spend) with them.

There are other ways to lose family members. If you are constantly working and not spending time with your family, you will alienate them. Your spouse may decide to move on, and your kids may be resentful after a while.

If you are so focused on obtaining material possessions, you risk losing friendships as well. Many of these friendships took a long time to develop. They can be destroyed quickly by your prioritizing of your possessions.

Money does help make your life easier. There’s no doubt about it. It’s just that you cannot make it your entire purpose. There are too many other important aspects of your life.

You can always make money somehow. You can’t easily make friendships, and you certainly can’t bring relatives and friends back from the dead. If you find you are too focused on obtaining money and possessions, take a step back and determine what your family and friends mean to you. You will find they are priceless.

See also:

How to think big and succeed
The unfamiliarity of silence
Patience of power