Build with Clay #106: What Matters
A bi-weekly newsletter sparking personal growth
Hi, reader!
Trivia for today: What is the only marsupial native to North America?
With that, welcome to the 106th newsletter! This one is all about What Matters.
A realization.
David Kessler, a grief and loss expert who has spent serious time with people on death’s door, shared the following story on The Daily Stoic podcast:
There was a woman at home, enjoying the company of some friends and family, in the last chapter of her life. One of her friends was visiting and asked the woman if she wanted to see their new car, which was parked outside in the driveway.
And [the dying person] was like, ‘No. No, I don’t.’
Sometimes it takes someone on death’s door to give us the perspective we need.
It’s so often the case that what we thought was going to make us happy and become how we identify ourselves just means nothing. It means nothing. What matters is the people, it’s the love, it’s everything else.
A thought.
We’re going to have back-to-back stories in this newsletter because the above made me think of this Randy Pausch story:
In Randy’s book, The Last Lecture, he recalled the time when he was single and bought a new convertible. He went to his sister’s house and picked up his seven-year-old nephew, Chris, and his nine-year-old niece, Laura.
Their mother warned them to be careful in their uncle’s new car. “Wipe your feet before you get in it. Don’t mess anything up. Don’t get it dirty!”
As Randy listened to his sister’s stern warnings he realized the kids were being set up for failure. Of course they’d eventually get the car dirty – they’re kids!
Randy opened a can of soda, and while his sister continue to impress on her kids the need to be careful, the kids watched in awe as Randy slowly and deliberately poured out the can of soda on the back seat of his brand new convertible.
The lesson? People are more important than things.
What do you idolize that in the end, really means nothing?
A quote.
“One day you will realize that material things mean nothing. All that matters is the well being of the people in your life.”
- Leon Brown
Answer: The Opossum
Great message and very appropriate around the holidays as we are busy "buying" lots of gifts. Being with the people we love is all that really matters!