Things that Matter

"One is glad to be of service."Bicentennial Man

Sitting in the comfort of the living room where I am staying, I find myself mesmerized by the ever-changing weather on and around Fan Mountain in the nearby distance.

I am a city boy through and through. I can’t deny it, and I cannot help it. That is part of my story – a large part – and it is what it is. I have generally been surrounded by the hustle and bustle of city life: honking horns, jostling crowds, sirens wailing, and air you can see; ah, now that’s living!

But the times, they are a changing. The pace of life here is different. It’s slower, quieter, and, generally speaking, more peaceful. There is time and space in which to think, and that is a wonderful gift for one who tends to be more of a doer than a thinker.

In appreciating the natural beauty that currently surrounds me on all sides, I find myself wondering if that appreciation shouldn’t be transferred to all material things. I mean, there is so much we take for granted, like our tools of the trade, household dishes, knick-knacks, fixtures, and the like. We value them when we don’t have them – like when they break or disappear – but do we really appreciate them as the gifts they are?

I know my computer is manufactured, as are the cups from which I drink, and the lights by which I read, and yet are they any less gifts of nature than the mountain I see out my window, or the tree beside the house? Do we treat those things with less reverence because they are “man-made”? Do we treat them well only because there is a cost to repairing or replacing them?

I know a woman who, if she accidentally slams a door, will return, open and close it properly, and apologize to the door for being careless. While many would consider her eccentric, I wonder if she doesn’t have a tighter grasp on what it means to be a godly steward than the rest of us who wouldn’t think twice about a slammed door (except in yelling at our kids to quit slamming the door because it irritates us, and not because it hurts the door’s feelings).

There are some people who perceive everyday objects as manifestations of “the Beloved” and who incorporate acts of devotion to honor the Blessed One, such as kissing the cup from which they drink, or the rug upon which they offer their prayers. They aren’t worshiping these objects (as idolaters), but honoring the One from whom all blessings flow.

Recognizing everything has its ultimate source in the Creator of the Universe, shouldn’t we give more thought to offering thanks in appreciation – not just for all we have, but for all that is?

Perhaps it is not enough to respect the dignity of every person; perhaps we would do well to respect the dignity of all that exists. Those objects provide us with a service, whether helping us in our writing, cooking, or other practical matters, or by beautifying the world in which we live, through color, design, or just plain whimsy.

We are being served, and these objects ask for nothing in return. Does that mean we shouldn’t offer them something – even something as simple as a kiss or nod of recognition?

I tip my hat in appreciation of the beauty of Fan Mountain; I think I will try to appreciate the rest of the world that surrounds me – both the sacred and the profane – and see if that doesn’t please and honor God more over the long haul here in this, our valley.