Value vs Worth

I think it's really funny the way we put value & worth on things. The greater the monetary value of something is, the greater it's worth. To me, the idea that things have worth based on money is so backwards. I think that monetary value isn't necessarily congruent with worth. In fact, I'd argue that monetary value has nothing to do with worth.

One of my most prized possessions is my copy of The Little Prince. According to Amazon, my prized possession is worth $9.90. One of the most important things I own has very little monetary value, and yet if my house were on fire & I had the opportunity to grab a handful of things before running out the door, this would be one of the first things I went for. Why? Because it's the story behind the book that makes it so important to me. My brother, who I'm very close to, gave it to me for my 18th birthday because it was a book that he loved. That's where the value comes from, that's why it's so important to me. All the things that I own that are of great worth to me have a story behind them, and in the center of the stories are the people that I love.

In the end all real worth circles back to people. Relationships with those around us are what makes us human, what makes the world beautiful. If you take people out of the equation, the world loses its' colour. Without the fact that my brother gave me The Little Prince, it's just another good book. If you look at things based on their price tag, then things are cold. However, if you look at objects & see those you love, they light up & take on a life of their own.

"Happiness! It is useless to seek it elsewhere than in this warmth of human relations." -Antoine de Saint Exupéry