Friday, November 9, 2012 —
I get the ideas for these columns from the strangest places; or rather, I should say certain things strike me in strange ways and lead my mind to begin asking questions.
When watching a special on Genghis Khan on the History Channel, I learned that warriors in the ancient Mongol horde wore silk shirts beneath their leather armor; the silk added extra protection against incoming arrows. Somehow, if an arrowhead punches through the leather, the silk would catch the arrow, curling around the missile and preventing it from punching into the body.
Silk has traditionally been valued throughout the ages, seemingly for its texture and high quality, but after learning this fact, one comes to understand that wearing silk has a practical as well as an aesthetic purpose.
Different people find different things valuable for any number of reasons. For instance, ancient cultures found gold to be of extreme value, derived mainly from its appearance and resistance to corrosion. However, in modern society gold has been found to have numerous commercial applications, namely in the use of gold as electrical conductors.
What do we find valuable nowadays? For many, the first thing that comes to mind is a cell phone, and it is a valuable tool indeed.
For me, the first thing I thought of was a pocket knife – something every decent Southern boy should have. It was the first lock-blade knife I ever owned, all stainless steel with five little ornamental holes punched through the handle.
That knife is valuable to me for a number of reasons. The first being that my grandfather gave it to me. He knew that somewhere along the line, I would need that tool and he made sure that I would be prepared when the time came. That alone makes the knife invaluable.
However, the circumstance in which I received the knife make it doubly special.
Once I was old enough, I bought myself a different knife, a much shabbier knife. I only paid about five dollars for it, so it wasn't like I got ripped off or anything. It just wasn't much of a knife, to be honest. Regardless, I was proud of my purchase and I took it to my grandfather, a fellow lover of cutlery, to show it off.
Upon inspecting the blade, Pawpaw told me what he thought about it: he even showed me the spots that showed its obvious low quality. I was a little disappointed, to say the least. But the next time I went to see him, he had a knife waiting for me: the stainless steel lock-blade.
The experience taught me a valuable lesson, in addition to netting me a valuable tool. I learned at a young age to look at the quality of an item, not just its monetary value; there are things more valuable than money, even if you do have to use money to buy them.
The value of an item shouldn't come down to its cost, but rather what it can do: act as a valuable tool, teach a valuable lesson or remind you that someone out there loves you and is looking out for you. Proof of purpose, regardless of how impactful, brings true value.
Opinion & Letters to the Editor
Related Photos
-
Ian Faulkner
Discussion
Some things are far more valuable than money’s worth
- Opinion & Letters to the Editor
-
-
Ronald McDonald House of benefit to us all
On Tuesday, Stanly County Managers Association members heard a presentation concerning the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte.
-
Celebrating small businesses and continuing new ways of communicating
Some stories are worth mentioning again.
-
Editorial: Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
This amounts to spying on an American news organization -- common practice in dictatorships but scary conduct in a democratic system that prizes the public value of an independent watchdog press.
-
Google shuts down SMS search, angers people who had forgotten it existed
Instead of texting back search results, Google responds with a short message noting that the service "has been shutdown" (sic) and that you can continue to search the Web by visiting google.com (duh).
-
Walking by Faith
Last week I wrote about waiting on the Lord. I really needed to hear from the Lord, but all I was receiving was “wait.” I really don’t like to wait, but it is important to give God the opportunity to work things out before we proceed. After we wait on God, the next thing we are going to be asked to do is to walk by faith. That means that God is only going to reveal one step at a time, which is almost as much fun as “wait.”
-
Jettie Parker
Jettie Frick Parker, 89, of Albemarle died at 2 a.m. Friday, May 3, 2013, in Trinity Place, Albemarle.
-
Always Learning
I am teaching a class this semester that I haven’t taught in over a dozen years. Although I have taught it before, it still has a feeling of being new. The curriculum has been updated, and I must spend a good bit of time reviewing and preparing for the lesson each day. It doesn’t surprise me that often that I will come across something I didn’t know. The other day I made a big fuss about learning something new. The kids had a good time with that; their teacher learned something new.
-
West of Memphis: My Favorite Documentary Gets a New Partner
I saw “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills” when it played in theaters in 1996. At some point during the viewing, it became my favorite documentary. A position it has held for nearly 20 years. I own a copy of it, along with the two sequels “(Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” and “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory).” Many know part of the story told in the films; it is a story that everyone should witness.
-
Childhood bullying linked to adult psychological disorders
A significant study from Duke provides the best evidence we’ve had thus far that bullying in childhood is linked to a higher risk of psychological disorders in adulthood. The results came as a surprise to the research team.
-
Saturday night with ‘The Rocketman’ Elton John
The Grateful Dead had its Deadheads.
Jimmy Buffett has his Parrotheads.
I guess Elton John has his … Eltonites? - More Opinion & Letters to the Editor Headlines
-
