In response to Hurricane Katrina, I have a few comments about materialism.

Most of us generally recognize that certainly, some material objects are necessary, and others, while not strictly necessary, are still very practical to have. However, a great wealth of material things is not necessary to live a happy and worthwhile life. Material items can bring a certain measure of happiness, but ultimately, that happiness is cheap and short-lived compared to the happiness that comes from doing good, helping someone, growing as a person.

Although I have not experienced this personally, I know, from what I have read and observed, that a curious thing happens when people lose all, or most of, their possessions. Generally, they take stock of what they do still have, and reevaluate what these things mean to them. They may realize that what really matters is family and friends, love for others, rather than money and material things. These people will continue their lives, collect more material things, but since they have learned the lesson, they may not have as many things as they used to, and these things will not mean as much to them as they did previously. Even if they lose all their possessions again, it will not mean very much to them, because they have already learned the lesson.

Other people who lost everything will become angry. They will be angry at the storm, the mayor, governor, President, just seeking to place blame somewhere. They will be too closeminded to learn any lesson from the experience, and when they can, they will gather more material objects, and they will think that these objects mean something. They will not have learned anything about materialism. Perhaps, because they have not yet learned the lesson, they will be given another opportunity to learn it. Maybe another storm will come and they will lose everything again. Then they might realize the relative value of material things, how little they really matter, or maybe they will not learn the lesson this time either, and they will have to go through the cycle again and again until they learn the lesson, if not in this lifetime, in the next one, or the next.

Knowing what we know about materialism, it is up to each of us as individuals to look at ourselves, look at our lives. Are we materialistic? Do we have more than we need? Can we get rid of some of what we have, give it to someone who doesn't have what they need?

Take a look at yourself. Some people have a hurricane for them to learn the lesson, but you can learn it as soon as you think about it, really look at yourself and make some choices. Do you choose to be materialistic?