# 17 Treasure

Traditionally when I ponder what treasure means to me, I immediately think of a pirate's chest full of rubies, pearls, and gold and silver coins. Certainly these chests, full of treasures, exist and just as certainly they are hard to locate. The searches go on, as they have since the dawn of man, to find these riches. The prevalent thought is that if I find a treasure such as this, I'll be set for life. No more worries, no more woes; bye-bye Blackbird. We believe this to a greater or lesser extent despite having witnessed the opposite too many times. Brittany had the world on string, while she sat on her rainbow, and did it bring her happiness in the long term? I don't know, 'cause I don't know Brittany, but I know mankind, and I know what I see and I've come to believe that happiness does not lie in the treasure chests full of gold.

Since Saturday, when Rob put "Treasure" out there for we Islanders to ponder, I've done just that. Thinking to myself; what do I treasure, what makes me happy? Memories come to the fore immediately. Memories of pleasant things rather than memories of unpleasant things. Thinking of warm fuzzy encounters, family cuddles and happy birthdays. Yes gilded memories are treasures of great worth, but memories also carry great resentments, great pain when contemplating perceived insult and back stabbing. And these memories are not conducive to wellbeing. At least not to the happiness one would expect from the treasure chest of memories.

While many things are treasured, true treasure that brings lasting quietude and happiness is harder to find.. That is what makes them so treasured, their rarity makes them all the more sought after, all the more subjects of great worth. I asked myself, What would I risk everything for, what is it that would bring me happiness when I'm growing old? What would I consider to be a pearl of great worth? As is my habit, I mulled this over for a couple of days, Googled treasure in and of itself as well as all of it's possible incarnations. Most importantly I slept on it, I meditated on it. My experience is such that when a question presents itself to me I already know the answer, I just have to find it.

What I settled on is this: Forgiveness is the greatest of treasures and the hardest to find. Oh no, not forgiveness for myself, though that is well accepted should it be offered. No, the greatest treasure for me would be the ability to forgive. Some indiscretions can be forgiven and we can feel magnanimous for doing so. But what If some murdered your child (no matter how old), could I forgive them? NO, NO, NO Of course not. If a person long thought to be a friend betrayed that friendship, stabbed me in the back for their own selfish gain, could I forgive them? Again, NO. Finding forgiveness in my heart is not a natural thing and almost impossible to find. Yet I'll continue to search for it; this ability to forgive perceived insult and injury to myself as well as others. I will look within myself to find this; to me the greatest treasure one can possess:

The ability to forgive.

Some may see the forgiving person as weak. But I disagree, I think the forgiving heart has the superior strength.
I believe that the meek do truly inherit the earth.

Let's meditate on this for awhile and see what we find:

And when we find it: