NCC Media Officer
In the end, nothing we possess truly belongs to us.
Yet, most of our lives are spent pursuing ownership. We strive to acquire land, build houses, buy cars, accumulate wealth, nurture relationships, and attain status.
We invest our energy and emotions into things we hope will last.
But when we pause and look beyond the surface, a profound truth emerges. It is a truth that is both undeniable and strangely liberating:
Nothing in this world is ours forever.
The land you buy existed long before your arrival, and it will remain long after your departure. What we call ownership is, in reality, only a temporary permission, a brief opportunity to occupy a space in time.
The same is true of a house. You may build it with pride, fill it with memories, and call it home. Yet one day, another family will walk through its doors, reshape its walls, or perhaps erase it entirely.
Even the car you cherish is temporary. It serves you for a season, carrying you through life’s journeys until either the machine fails or your journey ends before it does.
Relationships teach us this lesson too.
You do not own your spouse. You are simply blessed to share love, companionship, laughter, struggles, and memories for a part of life’s journey. Every moment together is a gift, not a guarantee.
Children are not possessions either. They come through us, but they do not belong to us. They arrive with their own dreams, destinies, and paths to discover.
Money often feels powerful, yet its power extends only as far as our earthly existence. The wealth we spend decades accumulating eventually passes into someone else’s hands.
And then there is the body we devote so much attention to. Time quietly leaves its mark. Strength fades, beauty changes, and eventually, the earth reclaims what it once lent to us.
Perhaps this truth is not meant to make us fearful.
Perhaps it is meant to make us lighter.
To loosen our grip on what is temporary.
To be less arrogant in success and less devastated by loss.
To appreciate people more deeply, love more sincerely, forgive more readily, and focus on what truly matters.
Because life was never meant to be about permanent ownership.
It is about experiences, relationships, growth, purpose, faith, and the impact we leave behind in the hearts of others.
So take a moment and ask yourself:
What am I holding on to too tightly?
What burden would become lighter if I remembered that everything in this world is temporary?
Nothing lasts forever.
So cherish every moment, value every relationship, and be grateful for every blessing while it is entrusted to you.
May Allah grant us wisdom to focus on what is eternal, gratitude for what we have today, and peace in knowing that every blessing is ultimately a trust from Him.
Read More: Faith And Gratitude: Reflections On Munirat Ogunlayi @ 60
Azeez Olakunle Yunus, the a Senior Media Officer with the Nigerian Communications Commission,NCC,Headquarters. He writes from Abuja.
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