The Meaning of Things

   This evening I received some very disturbing news from my sister when she told me that her home was broken into and she was robbed while at work. I was very upset and sickened at the thought of someone breaking into her home and rifling through all of her things. My sister is one of the hardest working people I know and she has spent a lot of time and put a lot of effort info making her new house a home. I will never understand why people take to stealing and live that kind of life. I do not know why they cannot work like the rest of us and earn what they want and desire in life. Fortunately they police did a wonderful job and cought the three people who did this and recovered most of her belongings. :)
   I asked her if she was upset and hurt....and she said that she was ok. Sure she is angry but she knows that life will go on. She is much braver than I would be. I've been thinking a lot about all of the "things" that I have. Little of them have any real value to the average person. More of my belongings have sentimental value to me than cash value to others. My most prized possession would be my dane love, Keena....if, that is, you can really possess another being. I love her dearly and if I found out that my house had been broken into I would be more worried about her safety than anything else I own. You cannot put a price on unconditional love. The worst part about my dog is that she loves me SO much she wants to cuddle with me which can be dangerous. (140 lbs on top of you is a whole lot of dog).
     Society today puts so much emphasis on objects, pieces of plastic and metal, and I feel like we lose sight of what is really important in our lives. Recently two of my good friends (and roommates) were in a horrible car crash. Their car malfuntioned and their car rolled four times. They had one of their dogs with them too. Thankfully they all came out ok (minus the car :(...) and the worst injury was Caitlyn's broken sternum...OUCH! If it had been Keena and I in that car I am afraid that Keena's weight alone...coming at me at 70 miles an hour...would have killed me. This really made me think. I don't want anything to happen to my beloved fur baby so I took some action. I went to PetSmart and got a "doggy seatbelt" as I call it. It's a safety harness that you put the seatbelt through a special part of the harness and it will hopefully keep Keena in place. I have only put it on her a few times in the house and we have not ventured to the car with it...but as the holidays approach and I begin my usual traveling, I want to make sure we are all as safe as can be.

Keena in her harness....not the most thrilled.

   We all need to take some time each day to think about what we have and how lucky we are. I am like everyone else and often take things for granted. I don't want to do that anymore. I have noticed, however, that as I "grow up" objects become much less important to me. I really don't care about the "finer" things in life. I'm a hard working woman who is lucky enough to have an amazingly supportive family and circle of friends. Also, I have found the most amazing man to spend my life with and I thank the Lord everyday for bringing him into my life. Never before have I felt so loved or have been so adored. We are starting our own little family and as long as I have Charles and Keena (and all the other amazing family I am blessed with) I am good to go. :) Be thankful for what you have! Hug and kiss your loved ones!