Attachment

Those times when I thought I was unhappy because I was broke, I realized I wasn’t actually broke. I was just disappointed because I couldn’t have whatever it was I wanted at that time.

And those times when I thought I was depressed because I was lacking, I realized I wasn’t actually lacking. I was just not content with what I already have.

All our suffering is due to attachment – attachment to stuff we think we own, and attachment to stuff we are thinking of owning. And stuff can be people as well. The horror!

So the next time you are in pain, ask yourself:

What or whom am I attached to?
What or whom am I trying to own?
What or whom am I holding on to?
What does my heart desire?
Is it lawful? Is it unlawful?
Is it permissible? Is it forbidden?
Is it right for me?
Is it wrong for others?

If we could just get it into our thick skull the impermanency of things – love, health, wealth, beauty, the sexiness and the coolness of it all don’t last, then maybe we can move on.