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Blog 531 – 01.31.2017

I Thought About A Rolex  But Got A Mickey Instead

For sometime I have been thinking about getting myself a new wrist watch. My watch came unclasped and slipped off in a movie theatre some months back. I did not miss it till later. I had been thinking about rewarding myself with a Rolex or other fine expensive watch but got myself a Mickey instead. I got a great deal on it and saved enough to get a nice shiny twist-o-flex type band for it. Some of you may be thinking, “Crazy Dave, you will write about anything won’t you?” The short answer is, “Yes.” But since I am not given to short answers let me elaborate.

I am always looking for something to be a spring board, an excuse, a reason to try to write something fun, thoughtful, and uplifting. I do not begrudge anyone their Rolex but at the same time I am looking forward to hearing the first, “Nice watch” whether it sounds genuine or comes with a snicker. A Unitarian moment on radio used to end with the line, “Life is meant to be good.” I think a big part of a good life is fun. To celebrate my new Mickey Mouse watch I bought the first two movies in the series based on Dan Brown’s books about a symbologist named Robert Langdon played by Tom Hanks. The movies are called, The Davici Code and Angels and Demons. And if you are wondering about the connection, Professor Langdon wears a  Mickey Mouse watch, one of his most prized possessions.

I like my Mickey Mouse watch but I no longer prize possessions but people and am very likely if someone really says they like the watch to slip it of my wrist and ask them if they would like to have it. You see, I have learned a great lesson – we only get to keep what we give away. To any would be thieves who might be reading this, I only carry around with me what I am willing to give away. So if any one should come up to me and say, “Give me all your valuables” they would not need a gun or a knife to threaten me. And I know all my concealed/carry friends are saying, “David, you are crazy.” I thought we already established that it the first paragraph.

One of the most misunderstood and difficult teachings of Jesus, called the Christ, was when the young rich ruler came up to him and asked “What must I do to enter into the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus told him to go and sell everything he had, to give the money to the poor and to come and follow him. It goes on to say that the young man went away sorrowful. Anything we are holding on to so tight that we cannot let it go, we do not really possess but it possesses us. The lesson is simple, “Let go.” Full hands cannot receive or be free. Just in case you are not big on Bible explanations let me share a natural world example. A hunter of monkeys to sell as pets was observing monkey behavior and saw a monkey playing with a ball and a jug. The ball fit into the mouth of the jug so when the monkey dropped the ball into the jug and reached into the jug he could not remove the hand holding the ball and as he would not let go the ball his hand was trapped. The hunter stake jugs with ropes to the ground and placed balls inside the jugs. Next morning he had all the monkeys he wanted. He had only to put leashes on the monkeys and break the jug off the hand still holding the ball. They would not let go.

I used to hear an expression, “Let go and let God.” It could also be expressed, “Let go and allow yourself to be free.” I never lost anything that I gave away. The joy of the exchange and on the receiver’s face is mine to keep always. It really does make us more happy (blessed) to give than to receive. If you don’t believe me just ask Mickey. He really knows the time of day.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White