Graduation. A time that most teenagers can not wait to get to because of the loads and loads of cards, cash, checks, and gifts dumped upon them. I, like these millions of other teenagers seeing graduation on the horizon, could not wait for this. I suddenly developed a new look-out for the mailman and full sprint to the mailbox upon his arrival. I would shuffle through the pointless-to-me bills and coupons to the cards addressed “Miss Claire McKee.” I quickly would tear them open to find gift cards, cash, and checks. As I began to deposit these in the bank, I realized that I had never had this many digits in my checking account in my life. I felt powerful, independent, and definitely a lot older than eighteen.
One day a few days after graduation I did my daily trot to the mailbox, and I found two cards. I opened up the first card and found fifty dollars inside. The next card I tore open and found nothing. I looked all around on the floor, thinking maybe my reward fell out when I was happily tearing the card open. But it was not on the floor. Then I inspected the envelope thinking that maybe someone opened it feeling greedy and took my reward. I remembered with complete confidence though that the envelope was sealed shut when I opened it. So then I decided that this person just must not have put any kind of treat in with the card. “How rude,” I thought to myself. Then I decided to pick up the card and read it to see what kind of person gave me this and decide why they hated me so much to do such a thing. To my surprise, the card contained a long paragraph, one of the sweetest notes I have ever received. All at once it hit me. Why did I expect a wad of cash in every card? Why did I think that I deserved a gift? It occurred to me how obsessed our world is with money and how obsessed I had become with it. I had a new pep in my step since these new digits began to appear in my checking account. Why? Obsession. At the end of the day, that card will be treasured more than any gift I have received, any wad of dough, or any check made out to yours truly. The money will fade away, the cards with a simple “congrats” will be thrown away, but the cards with love, meaning, and wise words, will be treasured forever.
So today, I urge you to not worry about the money in your bank account, the cash in your wallet, and the thing you think you “can’t live without.” Instead, notice the beauty in others, the world, yourself.
Infinite X's and O's,
Claire
