I was six years old and about six inches away from my TV. My surroundings seemed to disappear as I became more and more captivated by the swirling colors and the catchy background tune. Cupcakes, brownies, and cookies spun, danced, and flashed before my eyes. I could already smell the chocolaty aroma. I could already taste the gooey treat in my mouth I closed my eyes for a brief moment and pictured myself making all kinds of snacks for my family (and sneaking a few chunks of cookie dough into my own watering mouth while no one was looking). I've never seen such a beautiful, elaborate, magical piece of plastic in my entire life: An Easy-Bake-Oven.
Nowadays, if you look behind the dusty jigsaw puzzles on the top shelf in our basement storage closet, there is where you'll find that cheap microwave.
As a child, we can't help but place emphasis on material items like toys and candy. We walk through the store and have to touch everything. We yell, "I want that!" at every daytime commercial we see. We explore the toy is aisle during every outing. The problem is that maturity doesn't always cure this superficial mindset. Even as adults, we need the new iPhone. We need the flat screen TV. We need the fancy oven.
In a recent poem titled "Meet Yourself in a Mirror", I quote Ashley Wylde.
"If I ask you what you love, the answers will likely roll off your tongue. You love pizza and crafting and roller coasters and poetry. You love to read, you love to write, you love music, birds, tattoos, obscure documentaries, and the color of the sun filtered through the smoke of a wildfire. You love early mornings and late nights and study breaks and hugs and sentimental cards on your birthday. How long do you think you could go on and on until you finally said you love yourself?"
About the same time I found this poem, we were reading a short story in my Honors English class titled "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather. The story revolves around a young, pretentious boy who finds enjoyment only in the temporary. By the end of the story, Paul discovers that materialism can only go so far. Seeking frivolous things only give hollow pleasure and short-lived fulfillment. This got me thinking. We often focus solely on happiness brought to us through our surroundings. Somehow, through the chaos of it all, we forget to focus on the happiness we can bring through ourselves.
It's easy to get caught up in today's new technology. With social media running our lives and advertisements everywhere we turn, we tend to forget how we don't need all these material things to make us happy. Before we can love our lives, we have to learn to love ourselves. Indulging ourselves with empty items can't make up for an empty soul. Stuff comes and go, and when it does go, you need something else to hold on to. So, the next time a dazzling commercial captivates you, don't forget how captivating your own mind, heart, and soul can be.
Nowadays, if you look behind the dusty jigsaw puzzles on the top shelf in our basement storage closet, there is where you'll find that cheap microwave.
As a child, we can't help but place emphasis on material items like toys and candy. We walk through the store and have to touch everything. We yell, "I want that!" at every daytime commercial we see. We explore the toy is aisle during every outing. The problem is that maturity doesn't always cure this superficial mindset. Even as adults, we need the new iPhone. We need the flat screen TV. We need the fancy oven.
In a recent poem titled "Meet Yourself in a Mirror", I quote Ashley Wylde.
"If I ask you what you love, the answers will likely roll off your tongue. You love pizza and crafting and roller coasters and poetry. You love to read, you love to write, you love music, birds, tattoos, obscure documentaries, and the color of the sun filtered through the smoke of a wildfire. You love early mornings and late nights and study breaks and hugs and sentimental cards on your birthday. How long do you think you could go on and on until you finally said you love yourself?"
About the same time I found this poem, we were reading a short story in my Honors English class titled "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather. The story revolves around a young, pretentious boy who finds enjoyment only in the temporary. By the end of the story, Paul discovers that materialism can only go so far. Seeking frivolous things only give hollow pleasure and short-lived fulfillment. This got me thinking. We often focus solely on happiness brought to us through our surroundings. Somehow, through the chaos of it all, we forget to focus on the happiness we can bring through ourselves.
It's easy to get caught up in today's new technology. With social media running our lives and advertisements everywhere we turn, we tend to forget how we don't need all these material things to make us happy. Before we can love our lives, we have to learn to love ourselves. Indulging ourselves with empty items can't make up for an empty soul. Stuff comes and go, and when it does go, you need something else to hold on to. So, the next time a dazzling commercial captivates you, don't forget how captivating your own mind, heart, and soul can be.