We
form attachments to other people, things, children, stuff, and pets and let’s
not forget money. The father of American
capitalism endorsed that creed. John D. Rockefeller, when asked what would make
him happier, he did not hesitate to answer, “One more dollar.” Special prompting through advertising and
marketing “wizards” tempt us through magazine ads, TV ads, radio ads, mailing
ads to entice us to share in their pleasures of expensive cars, designer
clothing, upscale furniture, bigger carats, fancier homes and the latest
plastic surgery. The sirens are going
off everywhere screaming, “Buy me, Buy me”.
Got attachments?
Our
wants and needs are enormous. It is not
just property that we grasp and cling to.
We cling too precious intangibles: our self-image, our security, our
peace-of-mind, our being in-charge, and our need to “be right”, being loved. All of us want to be loved, respected,
admired, the desire to be thought better than we are. Many will not admit it, but, it is difficult
to let go of shameful memories, mistreating another, a mistake, death and a
slew of other topics. What would we feel
and what would it mean if we could let go of all this? It might have to do with forgiving others and
not feeling we have to be perfect all the time.
Letting go of some of the baggage or attachments, frees us. A quote by
Anthony de Mello about learning to let go hits home. “If you look carefully, you will see that
there is one thing and only one thing that cause unhappiness. The name of that thing is “Attachment”. What
is an attachment? It’s an emotional state
of clinging caused by the belief that without some particular thing or person
you cannot be happy.” Nothing could be
further from the truth! Do you have attachments?
The
quest for newer and better “stuff” can be found in the morals of dozens of
children’s tales. Remember the fable of
the foolish fisherman and his wife who, as a reward for sparing the life of a
magical fish, are granted their heart’s desire.
What did they wish for? What
would you wish for? They began with a modest
improvement to their circumstances: a larger house, a pretty garden. Their desires quickly escalated to a
mansion. The mansion gives way to palace. Ultimately, nothing satisfies them. They reach too far and the bubble bursts, and
they are restored to their humble beginnings.
The point: the key to happiness, may be inferred, is not to have all
your desired wishes but be satisfied with what you have. Controlled by attachments?
Relinquishing
our attachments is not a form of tightfisted austerity, the spiritual
equivalent of a crash diet. Quite the
contrary, it is relaxing our grip on attachments. By the same token, spiritual poverty does not
translate into any arbitrary standard of living. It ultimately refers to where our treasure
lies. And where our treasures lie, there
will our hearts be also.
“Do
not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,
and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do
not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
Jesus
had something to say about attachments and detachments. In Mark 10:17 a man asked Jesus “What must I
do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus
answered in vs. 21: “Go, sell everything
you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then
come follow me.” What is that old
saying? “You cannot take it with you!” Attachments lead to suffering and are
temporary, perhaps, an illusion. Fact
is: we all die and attachments vanish.
Want a worthwhile attachment? Be
attached to Christ, The Truth.
Bottom
line:
“Watch
out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, a man’s life does not consist
in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:15
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