I’ve come to realize that “Gone Too Soon” is really a way to say someone was really undervalued. I don’t want to be appreciated after I’m gone. I want to be appreciated now and then remembered for the impact that I made. I’ve heard it said that people know that they have received a gift, but fail to treat it as such because they thought they’d never lose it. While this isn’t true in all cases, it certainly is true for some.
No matter what part of the world you are in, the value of currency is dependent on how that currency is being “appreciated” in the economy. I’m reminded of the time I went to Great Britain. By the time I exchanged the US Dollar for the British Pound, it was worth very little. What would have cost me $.99 at McDonald’s locally was close to $3 by the time my credit card was swiped. The economy placed much greater value on the British currency than the American one. While the US Dollar used to be one of the most respected flow’s of currency in global finance, it has since depreciated and is still depreciating in value. The power of equity also is dependent on not the depreciating value of the property, but by how much it “appreciates” over time. Simply put, to appreciate is to add value by answering the question of how much something means to you. In the case of equity, no one can not care for or not value their home, and then expect it to appreciate in value when it has been appraised.
I believe we as a human society are flawed. Not just the regular day to day flaws you and I have for no one is perfect. But flawed in the sense that we do not value the gifts in our lives but wait until its time of departure (or appraisal) to show “appreciation.” This is where I believe we get stuck at. And because we realize we have gotten stuck in this phase without a chance to go back and place value where it should have been, we respond with common phrases such as “Gone Too Soon.” Yes, it’s a beautiful song. But yes, it’s a way to escape the feeling of missing the mark of appreciating those you value and love.
My encouragement to you is that you would accept the challenge of really appreciating the things and the people who are an asset to your life. My favorite quote in the movie “The Color Purple” is when Shug and Miss Celie are walking through the field of beautiful purple flowers. Shug says to Miss Celie,” I think it pisses God off to walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it.” Dear hearts, in the field of life that you walk through, make sure you recognize the “color purple” in your field; those things that add great value to you. Appreciate them now. You’ll thank yourself later for it.
No matter what part of the world you are in, the value of currency is dependent on how that currency is being “appreciated” in the economy. I’m reminded of the time I went to Great Britain. By the time I exchanged the US Dollar for the British Pound, it was worth very little. What would have cost me $.99 at McDonald’s locally was close to $3 by the time my credit card was swiped. The economy placed much greater value on the British currency than the American one. While the US Dollar used to be one of the most respected flow’s of currency in global finance, it has since depreciated and is still depreciating in value. The power of equity also is dependent on not the depreciating value of the property, but by how much it “appreciates” over time. Simply put, to appreciate is to add value by answering the question of how much something means to you. In the case of equity, no one can not care for or not value their home, and then expect it to appreciate in value when it has been appraised.
I believe we as a human society are flawed. Not just the regular day to day flaws you and I have for no one is perfect. But flawed in the sense that we do not value the gifts in our lives but wait until its time of departure (or appraisal) to show “appreciation.” This is where I believe we get stuck at. And because we realize we have gotten stuck in this phase without a chance to go back and place value where it should have been, we respond with common phrases such as “Gone Too Soon.” Yes, it’s a beautiful song. But yes, it’s a way to escape the feeling of missing the mark of appreciating those you value and love.
My encouragement to you is that you would accept the challenge of really appreciating the things and the people who are an asset to your life. My favorite quote in the movie “The Color Purple” is when Shug and Miss Celie are walking through the field of beautiful purple flowers. Shug says to Miss Celie,” I think it pisses God off to walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it.” Dear hearts, in the field of life that you walk through, make sure you recognize the “color purple” in your field; those things that add great value to you. Appreciate them now. You’ll thank yourself later for it.
