Recently a friend called me and told me “Something terrible happened today.”  Now, I know this person was diagnosed with cancer two months ago, went through treatments and is waiting for the next biopsy to determine her condition.  When she told me something terrible happened I immediately thought the worst, that she’d been given some devastating information about her health.  Then she said, “All my jewelry was stolen yesterday.”  I let out the breath I was holding and asked, ” Anything else?”  “No,” she said.  “I’m heartbroken.  My engagement ring, wedding ring, all my treasured pieces.  I feel so violated.” 

I could understand and sympathize with her, having had that same experience myself once or twice in my life.  But all I could think to say was, “Don’t take this wrong, but I’m so relieved.  When you said something terrible happened I thought it was about your cancer.  I know how you feel about your personal jewelry, the financial and emotional value, but they are not your health.  I’m not trying to be a Pollyanna, but you can get new jewelry.  You and I know, particularly in this stage of life, your health and time are the two things you really can’t afford to lose.”

I hoped I wasn’t being to0 dismissive of the traumatic experience she was going through, but I really needed to throw light on the relative importance of things.  If we lose our health and can’t get it back, we lose all.  If we lose our precious personal posessions and can’t get them back, we go on, perhaps, depending on our point of view, even lighter and freer than before.