Investments.
Some people seem consumed with them.
Isn't it interesting that some people think the only things worth while are things that are tangible? While I don't personally remember Black Tuesday (the day the stock market crashed and precipitated the Great Depression), I remember studying that many people committed suicide that day because they lost money on their investments.
What about the investments they had in families, friends, relationships? Suicide is devastating. It is far more detrimental than any other kind of loss because it carries a sense of rejection and remorse with it. It leaves those left behind with so many questions of "if only" and "what if" or "didn't they love me enough to stay?"
So many people focus on the tangibles (of course, because that's what they can SEE!), but lose sight of the true value in life.
Friendships, relationships, marriages are all destroyed because people focus on the unimportant, the temporal, passing values instead of the lasting values.
People often invest in a business, the stock market, sports. But do they wisely spend their time and energy in less-tangible, but far worthier investments?
Over the decades, I've been privileged to meet many different people through the newspaper.
Some are wise.
Some are not.
I remember meeting a wise young man who had been a professional football player and later became a teacher.
He knew what was important and had longlasting value. He loved investing himself, his knowledge, experience and education into young people.
I've heard a lot lately about sports -- about winning, but also about sportsmanlike conduct. Which is lasting?
In 20 years, believe it or not, you probably won't remember the score of that game about which you worried and worked to win. But, you'll remember if you cheated to get the win -- or if the opposition cheated against you.
Work hard. Be the best that you can be -- whether in sports, academics, arts -- but don't make anyone else small in order to appear larger yourself.
Once I heard another teacher, who is also a coach, tell that in more than three decades of teaching, he always noticed that when the leaders of a class are bad, the class is bad, but when the leaders are good, the class is good.
Too often, we're followers. We pick a leader and then emulate them. That's not always bad -- others can be a good influence and inspire us to achieve more, but we should never forget that we're each unique individuals created to fulfill our own place in life.
One of the most endearing movies of all time is "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart. In it, a man, overwhelmed with the trials and tribulations of life (debt, etc.) desires to end his life. But, through the intervention of a bumbling angel, he's shown what life would be like if he'd never lived. His absence left a void that affected many, many people.
I don't profess to be proficient on machines, but I know this much -- I don't dare open up my computer to try to work on it. And, I don't throw away even the smallest little piece out of it because it has significance -- it all works together.
So, too, we are all valuable in our own way. We all hold an important place in our family, our neighborhood, our work, our church. (Try not having a janitor and notice how quickly the dirt collects.)
I'm awed by the great friendships with which I've been blessed. I'm impressed with this community and the people who all work hard at their own jobs to make it a better place for each of us. Some of the nicest people I know are givers -- but they don't have any money. They give of themselves! That's the greatest gift any of us can give!
Editor's note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County, chosen the best small weekly newspaper in Arkansas for five years. A native of Louisiana, she moved to northwest Arkansas in 1980 to work for the Benton County Daily Record. She has nine children, six sons-in-law, a daughter-in-law, nine grandsons and six granddaughters. The opinions expressed are those of the author. She can be reached at [email protected].