It’s funny how a person (me, in particular) can allow themselves to get sidetracked by “stuff”: work, family, politics, money, belongings, etc. I’ve repeated the phrase my whole life “It’s just stuff.” But recently I had an experience that made me question how much value I have put on the stuff in my own life.
My bicycle was stolen. I knew two days before that something was going to happen to my bicycle. It came as a random thought, out of nowhere for no particular reason other than I had a feeling, a premonition. When I discovered the theft I reported it to the authorities who responded, did their jobs, etc. and my bike was actually recovered one week later. Here is where I was brought face to face with my belief of “stuff is just stuff”.
When I picked up my bike from the sheriff’s office, I saw that the thief had stripped it of all the extras I had put on it, had broken a brake cable, scratched it up, etc. It wasn’t returned to me in the shape I had kept it in. And I got angry. Now the violation of the break in and the theft became real and I was angry.
My reaction truly surprised me and I tried in vain to justify it. I wondered how I would have felt if everything I owned had been stollen. I don’t know. Where was the anger coming from?
I believe that any emotion other than love is fear. So my anger was based on some fear. Maybe that I realized that I was vulnerable, that I had lost some of my power, that any respect or kindness I have shown or felt towards the homeless (that’s who was in possession of my bike) had been fruitless? Maybe I just needed the gentle push to examine myself again.
Thanks, Universe/Angels/Guides for bringing me gentle lessons that bring me back on track to remembering what is truly important in life and what is “just stuff.”