We're All A Little Worn
I’ve read many analysis of words and perception. Putting those together I ask you to take the thought a bit further. There’s the analogy of a crumpled $20 bill. Is it any less valuable than a $20 bill hot off the presses? The correct answer is no, of course not. The value of the money is the same. $20 will buy you the same outfit or same dinner whether the bill is dirty and creased with maybe a few tears or if it still smells of fresh ink without any imperfections. The value is there – yet one bill is considered ‘worn-out’.
There is also the story of the little boy who is told to pound one nail into the fence for every bad thing he says. In hatred and anger he pounds nails, until one day he is told to pull each nail back out. As he stands examining his fence of holes the wisdom is shared. For every bad thing you say, even if you take it back or say you’re sorry, the hole has been made.
Words.. Live. They can bring pain or joy. But perception is where lives are changed. Words and their perception can turn a dirty $20 bill into a beautiful expression of gratitude. Just as a pristine $20 bill can be laced with anger and greed.
As I was growing up there were always hand-me down clothes, hand-me down shoes and lots of love to go around. So the term “worn-out” was never one we were allowed to use. If there were a pair of jeans that were fraying at the hem or if there were holes starting to form on a knee, the jeans weren’t ‘worn-out’. Those jeans had been worn and lived spectacular adventures. They had seen amazing events and if they could talk… well, maybe those weren’t stories to share with mom and dad. But still, as those jeans were passed down they became the property of the new owner to continue on with the journey. The new owner would use them to define their own style.
The holes could be patched, the hem could be trimmed. Maybe they became shorts or a skirt or part of a jacket. Even when the time came and the holes couldn’t be mended they could be cut into squares for a quilt and the jeans would still continue to bring comfort. They could also be cut into rags that would help work on the car or clean up the garage.
Some would say.. Just buy a new pair of jeans. Maybe we could, maybe we couldn’t – it didn’t matter, nor was that the lesson. Life isn’t disposable.
Your outlook on life – your approach to life lies in the path of the journey ahead. Your path may be paved with crinkled dirty $20 bills or $20 bricks of gold. Travel that road understanding that the value is in the perception. Just as we each took our turn creating a story in our ‘new’ jeans we learned a valuable lesson.
Nothing is ever “worn-out” – it is simply well loved.
