Diamonds are Forever?

I have a very small diamond pendant which I'm very fond of. (I'm no Liz Taylor though!) I thought I had lost it this week when I took it off at the Osteopaths. After an initial slight panic when I took it out of my pocket at home & only found the open chain, then doing everything I could do find it to no avail, I accepted that it had gone out into the Universe. All you can hope is that someone finds it who needs it more than you do.

Then the Universe gave it back to me - Amazing! It had rolled under a door draught excluder & then worked it's way free. I found it in the evening.

The thing is, I'm trying, in my mature years, to accept that I actually own nothing. I am the temporary custodian of lots of things, none of which can be taken with me when I die. Similarly, but more difficult to do - people. Friends & family are with you for a while & then may depart for one reason or another. (My friends have started dying). You can give love, but you can't expect anything in return - Not at all easy I have to say.

Impermanence and Change is the Buddhist way. The Second Noble Truth is that "Desire and attachment are the causes of unsatisfactoriness and suffering". I really don't have too much trouble not being attached to things. So although I was sad about the diamond, I could cope with it's loss. 

It's very different with people. Most of us want to be liked & loved. Most of are "attached" to someone & have expectations about the way they will behave towards us. Very few of us can live without close relationships. The loss of a family member or friend does cause real suffering.

http://www.sapphyr.net/buddhist/buddhist-core.htm 

Somehow I don't think that I will live long enough to be able to be a good Buddhist - I will do my best though.