A DEMOTION TO BETTER THINGS

It would do well for us to always remember that we "own" nothing in this world. You can only "borrow", or ""rent" material things.

The "rent" charged is the amount of fidelity that you pay to retain your possessions. You can spend every waking moment working to get more, and retain more possessions, such as a big house, a new car, beautiful furniture, and a very comfortable life-style. But, what good is all this if you can't enjoy it?

I knew a man once who was very rich, both in possessions and money. When he died, he left few heirs, had no children to help him in his old age, and life was very empty at the last. The Government, when he died took over half of his money. Some obscure nieces got the balance. It seems like such a futile existence now, but that was his choice.

Maybe he was happy in his own way, but would he have enjoyed life more, with a simple type of existence? He probably would have. I felt sorry for him in many ways. He was surrounded with gorgeous things, the best of everything, but did the people around him like him for himself, or his money? I often wondered, and I am sure he did also.

The borrowed time we are on could end tomorrow. When you pass on, and could stand at the graveside at your burial, could you say that you had lived a full and rich life? Had you done everything possible for your loved ones, the family, friends? Could you say in all fairness, "I have done my best to make the earth a better place. I can go now, for there is nothing more to do."

Or, will you, like Scrooge, say "Give me me more time, there is so much to do yet, and I have wasted my time". You ask, what does this have to do with alcoholism? Well, I believe that, in our mad race in the business world to be a success, to reap the benefits, a great amount of tension is built up, which can lead to heavier drinking and alcoholism.

One of the reasons that the person can no longer handle pressure, is due to the fact he is no longer young. Thus the turn to heavy drinking, which helps to mask the pain temporarily, but it returns two-fold later, when the booze wears off. Is it all worth it? I made a change. I found it necessary to change from a high level tension-producing job to a lower paying, but less demanding job, even though the change meant a drop in wages of over $10,000 a year., and a probable loss of prestige, which really doesn't mean anything at all to me now.

Life is a lot simpler. There is a lot less pressure at the new job. Adjustments to the lower income has meant a return to the more basic pleasures of small town life. We, as a family, are very close now. We work around home together, we play together, and there is a loving dependence on each other, which was not present when I was drinking and trying to "better" myself, and "beat the world". Events happen on a slow easy-to-handle level now, and life is worth living.

IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU, however your whole outlook on life must change. Back to the simple and basic things in life, and the hell with the "Joneses". Want to live life? Want to own a piece of your own existence, instead of just borrowing time? It can be done, but the cost is high, and the work is hard. But in the end it is terrific.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS.

DON FELSTEAD