People, Projects, and Possessions
Sunday, October 26th, 2008 |
“Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved” ~Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Nov 2008
I have a knack for looking beyond the mark. Between work, church responsibilities, sporting events and other activities, it’s easy to lose focus and look past those things which are most important, or which should be most important in my life: people. A friend of mine once summed it up by saying “People are more important than projects”. Unsurprisingly, putting people first is not an easy thing to do. It means sacrifices must be made and projects sometimes need to be left unfinished. As I think of those individuals who have influenced my life however, they have all had this one thing in common; they have all focused on individuals rather than themselves and all that they had to accomplish.
Recently I’ve experienced that this principle is not limited to projects. Back in July my dad was kind enough to sell me his car. As everyone around him knows, he loved his car. He took good care of it and as a result it was in great shape and he would regularly receive offers from individuals who wanted to purchase it from him. When he hinted one day he might be getting rid of it to buy something newer I jumped at the chance and offered to buy it from him. Before we completed the sale I got the impression he was having second thoughts. When I expressed that I didn’t want to buy his car unless he wanted to get rid of it he exclaimed that it was just a possession, and that possessions are not worth getting attached to. He taught me that not only are people more important than projects, but they are more important than possessions as well.
I’m grateful for friends and family who have taught me by example to put people first. When we have eyes to see, I think it will become quite obvious to us that life is really all about relationships and that “people are more important than projects and possessions.”
3 Comments to People, Projects, and Possessions
Thanks for the reminder. I loved President Monson’s talk.
KellenOctober 27, 2008
I understand that relationships are more important than possessions, but what about your relationship with a possession? Specifically, I am thinking about a particular bicycle that I have a very hot/cold relationship with.
DadOctober 28, 2008
Son,
Don’t forget to wash it every week! Cars are a lot like people, they do better when they are cared for.
October 26, 2008