The owner of a small business, a friend of the great poet Olavo Bilac, met him on the street and asked him, “Mr. Bilac, I need to sell my small farm, the one you know so well, could you please write an announcement for me in the paper?”
Bilac wrote:
For Sale: A beautiful property, where birds sing at dawn in extensive woodland, bi-sected by the brilliant and sparkling waters of a large stream. The house is bathed by the rising sun. It offers tranquil shade in the evening on the veranda.
Some time later, the poet met his friend and asked whether he had sold the property, to which the man replied, “I’ve changed my mind. When I read what you had written, I realized the treasure that was mine.”
Sometimes we underestimate the good things we have - chasing after the mirages of false treasures. We often see people letting go of their children, their families, their spouses, their friends, their professions, their knowledge, their good health and the wonderful memories of life that was accumulated over the years. They throw out what God has given them so freely, those priceless possessions that were nourished with so much care and effort.
Look around and appreciate what you have: your home, your loved ones, friends on whom you can rely, the knowledge you have gained, your good health, and all the beautiful things in life that are truly your most precious treasures and then remember, we can no longer shower kindness on those we love after they a have passed away. Each moment is precious and the true value of life lies within the breath of life itself!
"May we teach our children not to seek after riches, but rather to learn about happiness and when they grow up, they will know the value of life, not the price of things." By Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day
