In most of today’s modern world, men in black suits in tall towers or at Universities or sat behind desks measure the worth of countries in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Though I understand the importance of world economics and progress, I fail to agree with the logic that something as fleeting and imaginary as money could even begin to express the true worth of this world’s glorious people.
As my fellow historians know, you can’t document or understand history without stories…I mean, it’s in the name! And you simply can’t have stories without people to remember them, value them, and pass them on. The value is in the individuals, in the stories, and in the moments that create them.
Facing chronic disease throughout my life has brought about a great deal of fear, of tears, and much frustration at times, but it has also brought about something truly priceless and magnificent…perspective.
Without the bad, there is no good.
Experiences of all kinds, of all shapes and sizes, are necessary to understand and appreciate the diversity and the sweetness of life. Realizing that each of our lives is not forever, that we are temporary beings, brings about the essential ingredient of joy…gratitude. Gratitude for the now, for our current truths.
So, what if we changed our perspective?
What if, instead of valuing ourselves and others against the fleeting truth of money, we accepted, understood, and thought in terms of a new currency? That we stopped thinking about how much anything costs in terms of money and instead, thought about how much something costs in terms of life’s time?
And what if we were to take this idea one step further? To say that time in life can be measured in terms of our ever-true, universal rhythm? Our breath.
Simply, Breath As Currency.
If we took a step back and learned to think about our lives through the lens of breath as currency, maybe we would understand the danger in taking things for granted.
Maybe we would choose to spend our breath on a backyard barbecue with our family rather than on this year’s latest trends.
Maybe we would choose to spend our breath on the experience of a lifetime rather than the item of the moment.
And maybe, just maybe, we could begin to realize the true value of the currency we have each been given. That we are all truly equal in this wealth, and that some may have more breaths in store than others, but that each of us one day spends them all. And embrace the beautiful fact that we have the power to choose to spend them well. Spend them loved. Spend them passionately.
Spend them wisely, because money is futile through the eyes of…Breath As Currency.
How do you choose to spend your breaths? Share your experience spending them on a purpose-filled and passionate life! How does this perspective shift the way you go about your day?