A wise teacher once said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” By that, he meant that our hearts will naturally gravitate to the things we have invested the most into.
I felt that gravitation this past weekend. While I was in the store shopping with my family, a stranger scraped the side of our vehicle in the parking lot and promptly drove off. The driver left us with no insurance/contact information… nothing… just a large noticeable scrape across the rear passenger side of our vehicle. My wife and I both immediately felt sick to our stomachs. And as we drove away in silence, I began to think about what had just happened and how I responded.
I found it interesting to consider that if this same scrape had been left in my bicycle, my son’s skateboard, or my daughter’s scooter, I would not have been nearly upset. “Why not?” I wondered. And it occurred to me, I wouldn’t be nearly as upset because I don’t have nearly as much invested in those things. But our vehicle is a huge investment and because of that, my heart gravitates toward it. I guess the teacher was right, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
One benefit of minimalism is that the less investment you put in material possessions, the less places your heart has to go. When we begin to invest our money, time, and lives into more meaningful things (like relationships, social causes, or raising our children), our hearts will be drawn to those things because that is where our life investment is going… and a white scrape in your maroon minivan won’t ruin your entire day.
Tom already said what I was thinking about when I read the teacher’s wise words. It was Jesus and in the Bible. Can’t get better teaching than that.
“where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” This comes from Jesus’ sermon on the mount of olives, found in Matthew 5-7. This particular axiom is found in 6:21.
PS Sorry about your car. People are now lovers of themselves instead of following the golden rule.
The sixth chakra head moderates self-data with the two extremes of existential numbness, and conceitedness, as the standard final result.
Years ago I bought an expensive bike. I loved it. I was so paranoid that someone was going to steal it that I was happy to give it to my my partner when we split up. I now have a cheap bike. I love it better than the expensive one because I don’t have to worry about it.
I think the bigger disappointment in these cases is that the person lacked the integrity and honesty to own up to their mistake. It is a temporary inconvenience & superficially annoying, but things can be fixed if need be- the burden of knowing someone did it without taking responsibility is more disconcerting IMO. I treasure these qualities existing in more people to make the world a better place more than I treasure the vehicle which gets me from A to B.
I love your blog. I’ve been working to minimalize for a few years now. It’s been a long process and involves my ill Mother’s estate too. Through it all, I’ve realized what I treasure most is my family. I’ve decided, over the years, I prefer not to a new or expensive car. My car is like my house, lived in and I don’t worry about dings and dents – mine has plenty. I also don’t worry about anyone stealing my car – no one would want it ! Hahaha!
My expensive car was ruined by the mechanic and I was never able to resell it.