Let me tell you a story about a little girl. One day at a birthday party she fell in love; she fell in love with a sport, horseback riding to be exact. She loved the way the horse responded to her ever so gentle but firm cues and the special bond that grew with the horses she rode. It was a feeling like no other. One day she was gifted a pony of her own. She cherished this gift and loved this pony with all her heart. The little girl was happy and more importantly grateful for what she had, so she was satisfied. As the years went by her hunger for competition grew. She strove for perfection and was not satisfied with the love of the sport anymore. She had to be first, to get the blue ribbon and the medal, she craved to be the best. The world of horseback riding sucked her in and spit her out a whole new person. She now cared about what brand of riding pants she was wearing and having the next best thing, and, of course, she dreamed of the blue ribbons. That is all this girl thought about the competition and, of course, her horses, but even they took a back seat.

This girl is me. Everyone has a story like mine and it’s ok because we’re all human but the moral of this story is that materialism kills.

Materialism comes in all shapes and sizes. We may look at some bratty child in the mall screaming and carrying on about how she wants the latest set of boots and think she is a spoiled brat. Well, do you want to know the cold harsh reality of it all? We are all spoiled brats. By nature, humans are well-meaning but selfish. We think about ourselves. How are we feeling, what are we going to do, when are we going to draw the long straw instead of the short one. It’s all total bullshit. If we spent half the time thinking about others as we do ourselves the world would be a happier and healthier place. In fact, it has been proven that happiness is directly linked to good relationships, gratefulness, and giving. Why is this you ask? It is because at the very foundation humans want to please. They want so deeply for their loved ones to live good lives and feel joy. Let me also tell you this, materialism has been proven to make people physically ill. So, quite literally materialism is slowly killing you.

Now, you may be thinking that this story is depressing and bleak but it does have a silver lining. The now not-so-little girl cared so deeply for her horses and spent every moment she had with them. Her horses were her best friends. At this point, she still focused on the materialistic aspects of the sport, the winning and the fashion but then something life changing happened. In the wake of tragedy, she realized the faults of her past years and finally came to terms with what she really cared about. She continued to ride but it was different. It was like the first time she ever sat in the saddle. The joy she experienced from feeling the wind brush up against her cheek and the reins rubbing gently against her fingers put a smile to her face and made her fight for her happiness. She thought of her horses and her family instead of herself and lived each day with a purpose. This girl is me; this girl is all of you.