This morning in a full page ad in the real estate section of the Los Angeles Times was a listing for sale of our former home at 705 Via La Cuesta in Palos Verdes Estates.
We built this magnificent 10,000 square foot residence, completing it in 1987 and lived there with our children for 14 years, hosting our son Kyle's wedding to Diane there in 1996.
We sold this home in April of 2001 for just under $4.5 million, at the time one of the highest prices paid for a home in Palos Verdes. Today the published listing price is $14.9 million.
The buyer updated the home shortly after buying it in 2001.
But despite my determination to become a person guided by his Higher Being and not by his ego, when I first saw the ad my ego took control and greed and bitterness filled my heart.
Instead of feeling good for the seller and the buyer to be, and their agents, I felt only frustration.
But then in prayer, I began to let go. We had been blessed with the resources to build that home and live in it for 14 years, as we experienced such joy there. What a marvelous experience!
We then used the sale proceeds to invest in real estate, which provides us a comfortable living today.
But also came the realization that Anne and I now would find that home far too large to live in. And if we received today's sales proceeds, most or all of those funds would be donated to charity so that we could help others in need.
What matters most in life is not the ego gratification of money far beyond one's basic needs, but love, good health and happiness. We have all three.
Today, we didn't just learn that one of us has cancer, or that one of our children or grandchildren was killed. We learned the buyer of our home will likely receive a financial bonanza.
To them I say Mazeltov and enjoy.
Now I shall refocus on life's many blessings and do what I can to help others share in those blessings as well.
Dick
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