I must have that

A few years ago, I wanted a patio umbrella. When I say I wanted it, I mean I REALLY wanted it. It was a consuming want. It was the kind of thing that filled my thoughts when I sat outside in the sun. I thought, "gosh my life would be perfect if . . . I just had a patio umbrella."

And I wanted a big, beautiful, umbrella. I wanted the fancy-pantsy kind -- with the lights on it, so I could sit under it at night, and dream the evenings away. Yes, only the best would do.

Every time we would go to Costco, or Home Depot, I would gawk at the umbrellas as I walked past. I would go and play with them, and test the lights, and make them go up and down. I would sit under them, and imagine what they would be like perfectly placed in our yard.

And then, one day, I got one!

And it was beautiful, and awesome -- just like a had hoped. I would sit under it on sunny days, and I would dream under it on warm summer evenings, with my special lights on. It was glorious. I loved it.

It was a beautiful addition to our yard, and provided many hours of backyard bliss.

And then . . . it broke.

My precious piece of patio furniture betrayed me. It recently rusted clean through, and snapped. The end, adios, adieu.

So goodbye my magnificent umbrella. I loved you.

And now . . .

My once fiercely-desired, glorious, beautiful, perfect, umbrella sits in the yard as a Tepee.

Just another example that stuff is just stuff. And one day it will betray you. It will become garbage.

So try not to love it too much.

There are such better things to love.

For example, that cute boy that is happily inside the Tepee. :-)