There are two ways to get enough.....
One is to continue to accumulate more and more.....
The other is to desire less.
~G. K. Chesterton~
I need my "sentimental stuff" to grace my walls and shelves.
I feel serene and grounded when I see my mom's cookie jar perched there on the shelf.
I have fond memories of the china tea cups that my two sweet Godmothers gave me each year as I was growing up.
My son gave me these darling little Indian pieces when he was 10 years old. I cherish them and feel serene when I look at them............ as he is no longer with us on Earth..... and I must have these nearby.
As I attain more years, and get closer to my 7th decade on this Earth, I am trying to calm my life down by seeking less and less.....by trying not to accumulate more and more... and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of it. At any age, it seems there is always something else we need or want.... I think that must be human nature.
I'm trying to want less and accumulate less. Really, I am.
But............ to remain serene and calm and content, I do need my cherished "sentimental" things around me..... and I feel I do have enough. Do I desire less? probably not...... but the words of this quote DO make me think about it.
Do you have enough? Do you desire less? What do you think of this quote?
I see it one more way. The third way is to be happy with what you already have. You don't give or take, and you are happy with what you currently have.
ReplyDeleteI have mementos that I haven't even unpacked. I know what they are, but haven't the desire to display them.
Oh, that blue bird on the branch looks familiar. I believe my mom has one!
Yes... I'm trying to do that now.... be happy with what I have and try not to get more! that is very hard when you're a "crafty" person! I love that bluebird.. it is a collectible and part of a set of many others.. my son gave it to me years ago and I cherish it (the same son who gave me the little Indians).
ReplyDeleteOh, Marilyn, I think so many of us are asking ourselves the same questions about possessions. It seems to happen when we are getting older and also because of today's society whereby the accumulation of more means more happiness. But, it doesn't work that way. Finding your authentic self is one way of pure happiness. Now back to the original question. I think the possessions that have special meaning are very important to have around you. They remind you of happy times in your life with people that were meaningful to you. Your tea cup collection is really special. I never met any grandparents. How wonderful that you were gifted with such lovely cups and remembrance. And, how could you part with such sweet and precious gifts from your children. Please enjoy what you have. And, if you see something that really makes you happy - get it! You can always pass it along to someone else who may enjoy it. Friends are to be CHERISHED and special possessions are to be ENJOYED. It is part of "living life".
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Mary for permission to keep my sentimental things! You know we hear so much today about "purging" and paring down and "living siimply"... etc. etc. etc.!!! But I just downright love my things... and like you said, if we love it, and if it brings us good memories, then keep it! and so I will. I've given many things away on my two last moves, and I'm regretting already alot of it. But they're gone now so hopefully they will remain in my "memory pictures" in my mind. Even if my things (some of them anyway) remain in my storage tubs, I still know they're there and I can go pull them out now and then and reminisce! Marilyn
DeleteI'm trying to want less too, since I have way too much. I haven't been thrifting in over a month, but then I found myself buying on line? Treasures should fill our world and they should give us pleasure.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if it counts if we just want smaller things.. and not big "toys" and things that take up so much space on this Earth? I'm very content to find a little treasure somewhere that brings me some pleasure... and it's usually something that reminds me of a moment in my past... I think that's why alot of us like going antiquing or thrifting, as the things we find that spark a little happiness are things that remind us of our childhood or one of our family members.
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