This week I read a Lent article and was challenged to give up a luxury in my life.
Swimming pools, cruises, nice cars, resorts and spas, diamonds, big houses...some things that came up when I googled the word luxury. Do I live a life of luxury? No, of course not.
The dictionary definition...
1. a material object, service, etc., conducive to sumptuous living, usually a delicacy, elegance, or refinement of living rather than a necessity
3. a means of ministering to such indulgence or enjoyment
4. a pleasure out of the ordinary allowed to oneself
Do I enjoy and indulge in some things that are not necessities? Well, yes. The flowers I like to buy from time to time definitely aren't a need. And the vanilla chai I enjoy whenever I feel like it? Yeah. What about the time I spent watching the whole first season of Gilmore Girls - even if it was a free NetFlix trial? That bag of Milkyway candy bars we keep in our freezer. I'm free to spend my time and money how I like, and honestly, I do.
That second definition, now. What about habitual indulgence? What am I indulging in simply out of habit? The article I read hit this one. What about socks? A hot shower? My pillow?
The truth is that these things may not be considered delicacies, sumptuous, elegant or refined to us, but to a huge part of the world, they are luxuries unheard of. Dreams. Reality tells me that some people in the world have never experienced running water, let alone the steaming hot shower that I take almost every day. Some people are living without a roof over their head, out in the cold, and socks just don't happen in their lives, not to mention the many different colors and types and patterns of socks that I enjoy. And some people do not have a pillow, something as simple as a soft place to lay their heads. Kenny and I have 10 in our house.
Do I live a life of luxury? Yes, I do.
Why does it hit me AFTER I ramble and ramble? I'm really not a fan of public speaking.
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