What If You Lost Everything?

I've been pondering this question for some time now.

Losing everything, specifically worldly items, is not a fun thing to contemplate, but it does tend to put things into perspective.

I've been asking myself if there is more to it than first meets the eye. The answer is a definite maybe.

Think about this:

What if you woke up one morning and everything that you owned or possessed was gone, never to be seen again?

The cars your drove are no longer parked in the driveway . . .

The belongings you treasured were no where to be found . . .

The home you lived in was demolished into a pile of rubble or is completely gone with just the slab where it used to stand sitting silently . . .

What if all of those worldly possessions were no longer there for you or your loved ones to depend on or enjoy?
What would that be like for you?

It may seem pretty far fetched to some, but to many people in the world these days it's a sad, devastating and unfortunate reality.

Just look around. There are so many disasters taking place around the world, both natural disasters and manmade ones, which got me thinking about this unusual subject. From famines to hurricanes to tornados to tsunamis to oil spills to nuclear facility melt-downs.

Something tragic is always happening!

It seems like you can no longer turn on the television or radio without hearing about one of those horrible tragedies taking place somewhere in the world. You see the pictures or videos, hear the accounts of their loss and if you are at all human, you are touched by the somber reality of their situation.

Caveat – Here's Where I'm Going With This. . .

Now, before I go any further, let me interject here, so you do not get the impression that I am being callous to those in need, that there is nothing. Absolutely nothing, that I could say or write that would really encapsulate the tragedy that unfortunate people in these dire situations endure or have to deal with when these types of tragedies strike.

On the contrary, I would never, ever venture to say or claim that I truly understand the impact from such a situation, as I have been lucky enough to not have to deal with such a tragedy personally. My heart goes out to those who are enduring such things as I write this, and I would never claim to have all the answers for them.

What I do have is love for them as fellow human beings, sympathy for their situation and a strong desire to assist those in need wherever and whenever I can. And I try to do that and encourage others to do so as well, within their personal abilities.

This article is meant to be more of a philosophical analysis of these types of tragedies and how we deal with them in our lives. I'm not even going to try to touch on the loss of life or loss of loved ones that people have to deal with in these situations. That is a topic for another time.

That being said, I could not help thinking about what it would be like or what I would do if I found myself in such a situation. Frankly, it's tough to get my mind around it. I have found, however, that it is in dealing with and wrestling with these tough questions that we grow the most and learn about who we really are inside.

So Here Goes!

Take away my cars and where do I find myself?

Looking for a new mode of transportation.

Take away my luxury possessions and what do I have left?

A more focused perspective on what is important and what is necessary.

Take away my home, the building I live in, and what do I think about?

Simple shelter to keep myself dry and warm and safe.

Take away my personal possessions with sentimental value, and what is left?

Memories of good times and love that I have shared with those close to me.

What is the common thread throughout all of these examples?
These things are all just items, possessions, and physical things, with different levels of importance, but most of them can be replaced in one way or another.

The car can be replaced with another vehicle, or even a bicycle.

The luxury possessions like a computer or a flat-screen TV can be replaced with another one, maybe even a better one.
The home can be replaced by another building to live in, whatever your needs may be.

The personal possessions with sentimental value, they are harder to replace, but some can be recreated or remembered by talking about them or getting copies of them from others.

Planning Ahead Is A Good Idea.

If you really think about it, everything that is listed above can be covered by insurance. In fact, with some careful planning (like buying the insurance ahead of time) you could have them all replaced with newer and improved versions in no time.

Have car insurance . . . you can get a newer model!

Have homeowners insurance . . . you can get a brand new house and your possessions replaced!

Have good relationships with others . . . you can have those sentimental items replaced, or at least your fond memories of them replaced by talking about them!

The old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure . . ." seems applicable here.

But there is much more tied to the loss of these items than that, isn't there?

If we can plan for these disasters and we can replace these items, why then are they so tragic? Why do they devastate people so much?

Here's My Theory . . .

It's not really the loss of physical possessions that impacts people in these situations; it's the loss of control over their own destiny and well being that takes it toll.

Nothing is worse than feeling like we do not control our own destiny. And these tragic situations only emphasize the reality of that fact and the emotions attached to it.
But on the flip-side, look at what we do have control over. We can decide how we will react to the situation and what we will do about it. And we can do this before or after it happens. (If you haven't figured it out yet, my position is that before is better than after!)

The length of time and the extent to which we experience this loss of control is completely up to the person who is experiencing it. And while these tragedies are extreme examples of this loss of control, it applies in many other aspects of our lives.

Loss of jobs, loss of income, etc., can all seem just as devastating, if we let it. And, I know, it is easy to say this from the outside looking in, but if we prepare ourselves mentally, ahead of time, on how we will react to losses, it really can be easier to go on autopilot in a positive way rather than a negative way, after the tragedy occurs.

So when you are getting insurance for your physical possessions, consider getting yourself some mental insurance for how you will deal with the difficulties that a loss will send your way, if it ever happens. You can start by thinking about what you may go through, physically and emotionally, way ahead of time.

Then you can decide, before it ever happens, how you will handle the emotional aspects tied to realizing that you are sometimes not fully in control of your own destiny.

One Final Note.

There is nothing more rewarding than being selfless in assisting others who are the victims of tragedies. Even though we can do all the mental and financial preparation that we can think of for these situations, we don't know how we would deal with them if they really happen. And neither does anyone else.

At least, I don't.

When you see someone in need because of this type of situation, allow yourself to feel for them. And do what your heart tells you is best to help them. Give what you can, however you can and as much as you can, within your means.

Whatever you do, do not judge them for how they are handling things. Be there for them, listen to them, and provide them unconditional love, support and understanding.
You will make them feel good and, not to be selfish, but it will definitely make you feel good about yourself as well.

Let me know your thoughts . . .

Your Friend,

Judge J.

The Humble Judge!