FORGETTING MONA LISA
“You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” We’ve heard that time-worn cliché a thousand times— because it’s true. In 1911 the Mona Lisa disappeared for two years. It was stolen. What followed was one of those head-shaking-try-and-figure-this-out experiences. During the two years of its absence, more people visited the spot where Da Vinci’s masterpiece had previously rested than actually viewed the Mona Lisa in the two years prior to its theft! Why? Because we don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone. Our human default is to move through life more concerned about what we don’t have than to focus on the gifts we possess.
God instructs us to relish life’s simple blessings. Ecclesiastes 2:24 states, “There is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God” (NLT). Rather than wallowing in self-pity over what we’re missing, let’s be thankful for what we have. If we’re dining on a hamburger, savor it. Don’t sit around wishing we were feasting on steak. We’ll make ourselves and everyone around us miserable.
In 2020, just as COVID hit the news, our family was quarantined on the Grand Princess cruise ship. As we floated on the Pacific, many of our fellow passengers made the most of our extended voyage. Others chose to tread water in the “Sea of Entitlement,” constantly complaining about their circumstances. They were angry at the cruise line, angry at the government, angry at the catering company, angry at…I think you get the picture.
While we had our miserable moments, God enabled our family to be grateful for His blessings in the midst of our mess. We soaked in God’s presence each morning. Linda guided our grandchildren in creating “gratitude pictures,” drawings depicting our blessings. Although it was an effort, we attempted to live in the moment.
When we focus on God’s blessings, we step into heaven on earth. But when we forget Mona Lisa (what we have), we remain stuck in a sort of living hell. Thomas Monson reminds us, “Happiness comes when we stop complaining about the troubles we have, and offer thanks for all the troubles we don’t have.” (Thomas Monson, Inc., January 24, 2020.)
Life’s too short to waste on “if only.” Let’s relish each moment, celebrating “Mona Lisa,” rather than waiting until she’s gone.
Principle: Our human nature is that “we don’t know what we’ve got till it’s gone.”
Ponder:
What simple blessings in your life do you fail to appreciate?
How can you develop a more grateful heart?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Ecclesiastes 3.
Lord, create in me a grateful heart. Help me to value life’s simple blessings.
Adapted from my book, Thriving in Quarantine.
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