"It Slips Away, And All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy"

It's in times of devastation that the things in life that truly matter are fully realized.

Americans have both the drive and ability to achieve.

Via wsj.com

There are a lot of beautiful aspects of living life in America. I mean, it is “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. We all have the freedom to wake up in the morning and largely do what we please with our time and live our lives on our own terms. However, under all of that, there are a few concepts that act as a foundation for American life.

Working toward bettering the individual rather than the collective whole is a concept that dictates a lot of the work that goes on in America. Why get a job? To earn money. Why earn money? To buy new things. Why buy new things? To climb the rungs of the social ladder. It’s this never-ending cycle that acts as a starting point for the economy and society overall.

What happens when all of that is suddenly stripped away?

Kent Porter/Press Democrat / Via sacbee.com

It’s this terrifying idea that has become a reality for many Californians this week as wildfires have devastated over 191,000 acres of land in California, destroying over 2,800 residences in the process according to CNN. Many hard-working men and women find themselves taking refuge with family and friends as they watch everything they have ever worked for burn to the ground. However, it’s these people that could be considered lucky as compared to others. Over 30 have lost their lives to the flames, making the material possessions seem minuscule in comparison.

Why hold on to something that is temporary?

Via ultimateclassicrock.com

Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind” is one of the great emotional anthems of 70s rock. Written by Kerry Livgren, the song presents the often-avoided statement: from possessions to life, “all they are is dust in the wind”.

By no means is the song urging people to accept this inevitable fate and just wait to die. That, frankly, would be a little overbearing and depressing for the nature of classic rock. Rather, many interpreters take this song to be one of holding onto life and the material possessions just long enough to enjoy them, seeing as “nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky”.

AFP / Getty Images

The California wildfires are nothing short of pure devastation. However, it’s in these heartbreaking times that we are all reminded not to put all of our worth into material things, since “all we do crumbles to the ground” when its time comes.