Once, the owner of a small business, a friend of the great poet Olavo Bilac, met him on the street & asked him, “Mr. Bilac, I need to sell my small farm, the one you know so well. Could you please write an announcement for me in the paper?”
Bilac wrote:
“For Sale: A beautiful property, where birds sing at dawn in extensive woodland,
bi-sected by the brilliant & sparkling waters of a large stream. The house is bathed by the rising sun. It offers tranquil shade in the evening on the veranda.”
Some time later, the poet met his friend & asked whether he had sold the property, to which the man replied, “I’ve changed my mind. When I read what you had written, I realized the treasure that was mine.”
Sometimes we underestimate the good things we have – chasing after the mirages of false treasures. We often see people letting go of their children, their families, their spouses, their friends, their professions, their knowledge, their good health & the wonderful memories of life that was accumulated over the years. They throw out what was theirs, those priceless possessions that were nourished with so much care & effort.
Look around & appreciate what you have: your home, your loved ones,
friends on whom you can rely, the knowledge you have gained, your good health & all the beautiful things in life that are truly your most precious treasures and
then remember, we can no longer shower kindness on those we love after they a have passed away.
Each moment is precious & the true value of life lies within the breath of life itself!