Last spring I was having a conversation with a co-worker that somehow ended up on cars. She shared that she once dated a guy who drove a pristine BMW and she was impressed...until she saw where he lived. His apartment was a dump. Poorly maintained, dirty, stuff everywhere. She was shocked as she assumed he would live in a really nice place given the maintainance of his car. I made a comment about people putting their value in different things. This guy obviously put a lot of value into his car; it was important to him. Where he lived was obviously less important. Either way, my co-worker didn't keep seeing him because it was clear that her values didn't match up with his.
I had forgotten about that conversation until just recently. Until I posted this on Facebook actually.
For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would want to sleep overnight in a mall for a phone. This seems utterly absurd to me. Being that I try to be as open-minded as possible (judgment free, amiright?) I gave some thought to what I would sleep overnight for. My BFF Carolyn and her husband sleep overnight at a bank to lock in a 30-year, 3% interest rate mortgage when they moved back to Connecticut. That seems worthy of lost sleep. I would sleep overnight for that. I would lose sleep for anything that meant a better life for my kids. And have if you count that one time Lovey woke up hyperventilating and we rushed to the ED at 2:00 in the morning. I would sleep overnight for a cause that was important to me. While I didn't sleep outside, I do remember waking up in the wee hours of the morning to take a bus to DC with my parents when I was in high school to march for reproductive rights for women.
But a phone? It doesn't add up. If you put your value into a BMW or the latest technology I guess I can't stop you. It just makes me question your priorities. Mostly, it makes me question if I have anything in common with you. While I bought my car new 5 years ago it hardly looks it now. It's covered in dents and scratches and high mileage indicating I value the people in it more than the car itself. My phone is an iPhone, but it's a 4s. That's like 4 models old if you're curious. The sound stopped working a few months ago and you can only hear on it if the earbuds are in. How convenient. Whatever, it's still functional.
The whole phone thing made me think about what people would assume I valued if they saw me in real life or on social media. My current Facebook profile picture is of me running. I value hard work, determination, and health. I quit my job to be home with my kids. I value family. I am an active participant at my church. I value my faith and my faith community. I love my neighbors and the community of love and support we have built in our town. I value friendship.
Take a minute to reflect on what your outward image says about what's important to you? Does the image you project accurately reflect who you want people to see? If it doesn't, maybe you should put down that fancy new phone you slept in the mall to get.
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