Monday, May 12, 2008

Insurance

We have been taught in our culture that it is very important to have insurance. Whether it be life insurance, fire insurance, liability insurance or whatever, we are supposed to have some. If we don't then we are simply irresponsible people. And sure enough, when something goes wrong and we don't have insurance, we are looked down upon with an "I told you so" attitude.

Of course, this has never happened to me. I have always had insurance because that is what one does and I don't like to pay out of pocket what could have been covered. Now, sometimes I have paid out of pocket because to claim it would have meant higher insurance rates. We all do that sort of thing as well.

As I sit here writing this while sipping my morning coffee, I wonder to myself if there really is such a thing in life as insurance? Certainly we can be financially compensated for some things that happen in life, but can we be compensated for life itself? I don't think so. We all make plans and have hopes and dreams that certain things will become reality in our lives. But when they don't.....then what? It is not like we can be compensated for the fact that we have developed a grave illness, or for the fact that we had a parent who wasn't the best parent in the world. We can't be compensated for the fact that we might not be able to be with someone with whom we thought we would be for the rest of our lives. Neither can that person really be compensated. There is really no insurance for the things that make life what it is.

We can't get to the Pearly Gates and say, "Hey! Wait a minute! I was supposed to be able to have this happen and it didn't because everything went south! What about that, eh? Who's gonna compensate me for this? I paid my insurance fees!"

No, certain things in life are not the types of things that any amount of money, even if we could insure it, would make up for. The only reason I have life insurance is so that my family will have a bit of financial support lest anything unforeseen happen to me. If I did not have people in my life who were important to me, I would not have life insurance. But even with it, I know that the money would only ease financial burdens and would not in any way make up for their loss of me in their lives. This is not ego speaking. It is simple truth.

I think a lot of people equate insurance with assurance. This could end up being what makes some arrive at the Pearly Gates with a dumb look on their faces and wonder, "What the heck!?" There really aren't many assurances in life either. What we actually need to do is stop looking to anyone else to help us feel secure and simply open our hearts to love in order to foster security within ourselves. We can't experience the good stuff in life if we are too busy protecting ourselves. That I can assure you!

Blessed Be
Trent
www.deerhornshamanic.com

1 comment:

Gail said...

The only assurance about life insurance is that it makes the insurance companies very rich cashing in on our fears. It really is true that you can't take it with you because the insurance companies make sure you don't.