Lives of purpose and meaning

A while back, we did a little family "faith development" session here at home where we showed the kids this video about consumerism and materialism:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

I was worried about my nine year old becoming frightened by the portrayals of planet wide pollution with toxins, but he seemed fine.

I asked him, "What did you learn from the video?" He said, "Just because I don't have new shoes, it doesn't make me a bad person."

"Good," I thought. He got something.

Lately I've been trying to find ways to expand on the lesson. It seems to me that excessive consumption is a way to keep people distracted. Right up there with alcohol, drugs, sex, and other potential addictions, it's a diversion that keeps us from staying focused on our will, (that is, our Purpose With a Capital "P",) keeps us from hearing what our soul is trying to tell us.

I tried to describe this to my nine year old this morning:

Me:
"So, do you remember what the next Sabbat is called?"

Him, closing his eyes scrunching up his face:
"Ummm, it's Halloween but we also call it something else."

Me:
"Samhain?"

Him:
"Yeah, that's it."

Me:
"You know that it's spelled Sam-Hane, but we pronounce it Sow-en, because that's how it's pronounced in the original language?"

Him:
"Yes Mom."

Me:
"Say it with me. Sow-en"

Him:
"Sow-en"

Me:
"Do you know the real reason we do these things?"

Him:
"No."

Me:
"We really do it to stay connected to Spirit, to try to listen to what our souls are telling us, to find out why we were put on this Earth and then remember that. You'll keep learning more about this as you get older."

Him, putting on backpack and opening the car door:
"Bye Mom."

Me, driving away:
"I hope one day this means something to him."