Suffering and pain come from attachment.

This afternoon I arrived home after getting a haircut and stopping at the grocery store to find Silas outside shooting hoops alone in the driveway before his game later in the day. I smiled–my heart was full. Silas hasn’t been a lover of sports until recently, so finding him getting up some shots on his own was a very cool moment.

My joy momentarily left me as I realized he was shooting with my brand-new basketball–a leather indoor basketball.

I watched the ball land in the snow after Silas swished a shot, and I knew that between the dribbling on concrete, the wet ground, and landing in snow the ball was ruined for indoor use.

I could have gotten mad. The ball has only been used a few times and it wasn’t cheap.

But I quickly remembered it was just a ball, and I was just so happy to drive down the street and see Silas practicing on his own.

His initiative, interest, and cuteness were worth way more than the ball. I can always buy a new ball, but I’m not sure how many times I will have the opportunity to celebrate his ambition and assertiveness like I did today.

So many times in life, we get upset, frustrated, disappointed, etc., because of things that aren’t really that important–we suffer because we are attached to things, outcomes, or ideas of what should be.

When we release the attachment, we avoid suffering and find enjoyment in life.

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See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC