from my old Outsides and National Geographic Travelers. Mom came over and said something about how Dad had already tried that a long time ago. And now he has an entire file cabinet full of magazine articles and other assortments that he drags from house to house as he moves. It was a loving warning.
I had just thought of it the night before, I think. I had been thinking about all the stuff I had piled near the storage room doors downstairs and how I had to go through and try to organize and store it all before I left. Then I realized that most, if not all of that crap, was just stuff that I'm saving. I'm just saving it. For the future. For something in the future, but I don't know what. When I realized that I have no idea what I'm saving it all for, it occurred to me that I'm really just saving it all for the sake of saving it. But a lot of it really is not serving any purpose for me. Every time I've "moved" for the past few years, whether it's into my grandma's house for a few days, to camp for several weeks, or to a dorm room for several months, I always end up living simply--simply off the stuff that I can see around me. When I put something in a weird spot, or put it away to "save it" for another day, a "just in case" moment, I never think about it again. Until the next time I move and happen to see it.
It's not grown much, but that night's thoughts, plus my Mom's comments, sparked a small feeling--desire--to try and live more intentionally with only the things that I need more readily at the moment. I like to be resourceful and efficient, so if I'm ever in need of something that I don't really have on hand, I enjoy the challenge of making something new. Or I often can just do something else. Or something. But I am also one who tends to be cautious. I don't want to get rid of anything or waste anything. So learning the mindset of only keeping what I need will be difficult. But maybe I'll make it.
I just wanted to share. Maybe I'm not the only one with such a predicament.
3 comments:
Oh goodness. I have boxes of "memories"...stuff that I am saving only for a smile when I go through it again and ask myself why I keep all this junk. All I can say is at least it gets smaller (if only a paper or two at a time) every time I get a hankering to organize.
A loving warning =) I like that. Also, my parents are moving, so I went through everything in my room. You should see the pile of stuff I was "saving" (and by that I mean I was too lazy to throw out). Its all either going in the garbage or garage sale now.
i am totally like this too. i stash stuff away for later and forget about it, but then i find it again and stash it in a different place. i always think "but i should keep this, just in case...." i am well on my way for pack ratdom.
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