I am not really sure where this post is going but it has been haunting me for days now. So maybe it's time to work it out in words.
This weekend I met some new friends. Justin and his wife Christine arrived on Friday with their three beautiful daughters for the weekend. Justin was here to help me work through some business ideas and real life decisions as I approach retirement age. I invited the family for a beach/work weekend that worked very well. I have the beach Justin has the brains and the guts as well. I am creative and I like people but I don't like all the nitty gritty business number crunching type of thing. But.. I digress.
I was outside with the children and Christine. The kids were riding in our big circular driveway on an array of riding toys and bikes that I keep here for my grandchildren.Three bikes, a hot wheel trike, a scooter, a John Deer tractor with a trailer (a really cool old one) and a peddle fire truck that I got one year for my grandson Micah. Chris my son in law tricked it out with cool lettering and Micah's name. I have lots of cool stuff. Actually if the truth be told I have way too much stuff.
The mosquito's started to reveal themselves in tiny welts on my ankles so I made the call. It was time to go in. Christine stopped at her car to get her luggage. I asked if I might help her carry and she said "No thanks. I only have one bag."
I was dumbfounded. One man, one woman, three little girls, two days and one bag. One small bag. Like a carry on that would fit in the over head compartment on a plane. I have never seen anything like it! When my family or friends have arrived in the past it takes several trips to the car and my house is swallowed by more stuff. Now I am not saying that is bad. I expect that. I am not a heavy packer but I do like to cart some 'stuff' with me when I am on the road.
This small suitcase got me thinking about all the other 'stuff' in my life..If I were to get rid of half of my clothing would I even miss it? How about half of my pots and pans or towels or sheets or even half of the canned goods in my pantry?? I like my stuff but maybe I would like what was left more if I got rid of the other half of it...
In Haiti, Gwenn's living room has a simple sofa, 2 simple chairs, a simple coffee table, a shelf for the TV and few nick knacks that her staff gave her. That's it. And she has ten kids...I saw one toy box but never saw the toys come out of it. How did I (we) get this way??
I think Christine is on to something....
Wow, this weekend was a blast Denise.
ReplyDeleteI think it's easy for us because we never have had half the stuff that other people contemplating getting rid of. My aunt is a professional organizer and she says if we haven't used it in a year and can afford to buy it again, get rid of it. It's tough, but it's freeing.
Oh, and Christine is very low maintenance. You were lucky she brought shoes with her. :)
Denise - I have been going through this same struggle. Having merged households with Hal, do I really need 9 pie pans? And yet I cannot seem to part with them (what if one breaks?). I think Christine is onto something, too...
ReplyDeleteConnie, Maybe you can make a pie for new people who come to the church and tell them to keep the pan or better yet start a pie share. Like a pay it forward thing..Keep 2 pans and get rid of 7. If you need to make more than 2 buy some disposable ones at the grocey store. Now....to listen to my own advice...
ReplyDeleteJust getting back from Haiti within the last couple of weeks...I think you are definitely on to something...Imagine if we could give all our extra stuff to the folks in Haiti...they would be blessed and cherish it so much more...Tim Cardascia
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