is enough...enough?

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:4

Ahhhh...Halloween...when ghosts and witches along with princesses and goblins rule the night. Trick or treating is quite the event in my neighborhood. We have as many as 150 little beggars if the night is a mild one. The past couple of years, however, I have noticed a trend; older kids will also come to my door, which I don't mind, but they have no costume, only a grocery store plastic bag or pillowcase. At first, I thought that maybe they were just too lazy to want to "dress up," but in thinking it over, perhaps it is something more. Maybe they can't afford a costume...?? Non-judgmental me..I don't question it! 

It got me to thinking though, later as I sacked out on the couch, exhausted from the night's activities. Some kids can be really greedy, literally demanding more candy, as in, "is this ALL I get?" I had a few thank me on their own, with no prompting from an adult and it was cute (and rewarding) to hear parents prompt the much younger ones to be grateful. But it was the ones who seemed to feel they should have more than is customarily given out that bothered me. How did THIS happen?

I was watching the news this morning about the effects of Hurricane Sandy and how the New Jersey coastline is literally gone, swept out to sea. A neighborhood in Queens, NY of about 80 houses were destroyed from a fire. Nothing left but ashes and memories. The residents were all in shock, losing everything they had. Most of these folks were of sufficient means and yet they still felt the devastating loss as surely as a poor person who loses everything. It's gone. Can any of it be replaced? Not the pictures and mementos that make a person feel secure. Then I thought about the homeless who make the subways their "home." Where did they go as the tunnels filled with water? To them, that was "home," and they also lost it.

So, how does this tie into greedy little trick or treaters? Simple. We are born with nothing. We die with...nothing. While here, should we "have it all?" As you can see, when  a storm comes, it's gone. When illness or job loss looms, it's gone. When the stock market crashed, it was gone. Same with Ponzi schemes. It's gone.

As Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But rather, lay up your treasures in Heaven." Matthew 6:19.

Parents need to teach children to have gratitude in ALL things. The beauty of a new day. A new friend. Health. A warm bed at night. Food on the table each day. It doesn't have to be caviar served on a silver platter in a mansion! Rich or poor, we all breathe the same air. We all need sunlight and rain. We all want to be loved. So why does it matter if we "have it all?" Isn't enough...well, enough? 

Just something for you to ponder for today!

Peace be with you!