Dreamer's World November 22 2015 - Possessions

Sunday has dawned cold and windy, but at least we don't have any snow to deal with around here. I am in my normal debating what-to-do mode for today. Common sense tells me to stay here at home unless necessary, while my impulsive side wants to go out. Normally, I listen to my common sense side and I expect that today will be no exception. I may make a run to the grocery store this afternoon but that will be about it for me. I have to plan what to make for Thanksgiving while Hal is out of town. I have an idea or two but neither involves cooking a turkey. I can never get them done right and it takes too much time and effort to deal with as far as I am concerned.
Today is a day to rest and get things organized around here. I don't need anything else to add to the clutter. In fact, it is about time to purge myself of things once again. When I go through the closet if I find something that I have not worn in over a year, it is time for that to be donated to Goodwill or some other charity. Both Hal and I have decided that we need to streamline things around here in order to preserve a sense of peace and tranquility. I will be doing some serious purging while Hal is away next week.
Speaking of accumulating stuff, I recently was talking with a friend about writing. I pulled out the Chromebook and fired up Evernote while he did the same on his Macbook Air. I suppose that it is human nature, but I was envious of his Macbook Air since it is designed to be eye-catching and popular. He noted my Chromebook and with the natural smugness of a Macbook owner, he made the normal statements that he didn't think that he could ever survive without his Macbook and would never consider a Chromebook as an alternative. I almost immediately lost my case of envy because the comments came across as rather cavalier and uncaring. The fact that I do most of my writing on the Chromebook, and that he actually enjoys reading what I write, seemed to be lost on him. I was just the poor guy who couldn't afford to be part of the in crowd who owned a Macbook. While I was initially hurt and slightly insulted by his remarks I had to also realize that those remarks are nothing more than a reflection of his own personality. He often speaks without thinking, or mnore likely, he just doesn't care that his remarks often come across as rude and offensive. I didn't let the feeling linger, and we moved on to other things to keep the conversation going along.
After we parted company for the day, I started thinking more about how some people let what they have determine who they think they are. I suppose that I have learned a great deal from my financial difficulties and one of the most important lessons is that I can survive and prosper without chasing the ultimate material possessions. I like my Chromebook, I do have an iMac at home, and I enjoy that as well, but I only replaced the iMac after the older one gave up the ghost after 10 years of unrelenting service without a problem. This was the time when I started thinking more about purging. Since I refuse to be defined by what I have, it made sense to begin planning to absolve myself of things that I no longer need or use. The difference between myself and my friend is that I will not do this in order to make room for the latest stuff, I will do it to relieve myself of the burden of having all that stuff around.
I find that there is always some degree of anxiety when I prepare to begin a purge of my belongings until I realize that nothing is permanent. Things that I needed or wanted at different points in my life no longer hold the same value that they once did. We outgrow things in both the physical and emotional sense. The key lies in knowing when to let go of them. Just a prt of growing as a person.