G’day, dear readers. It’s been a long time since the last post. I initially thought I’d have a regular cadence to put these out; but honestly, I’ve kept this blog on the down-low. In fact, I don’t visit it as often as I thought I would, because it takes me a while to gather my thoughts (or maybe not, it took me like twenty-two minutes to put this one out, maybe I’m just lazy); then draft it and by the time I’ve put the words on paper, the spontaneity is a bit lost. Anyway… what’s new? You tell me. Okay, I’ll tell you first.
So, life’s been pretty interesting these last few months. Some notable changes, one of which, I will be discussing in this post.
We’ve all have moved flats at least once in our life, haven’t we? I think you’ll agree with that feeling. The one that you get when you finally let the thought of moving on from your current premises to a new one, sink in. It truly is a mixed feeling. You’ve got thoughts associated with your current dwelling; all the times you’ve spent, so many memories;the good and the bad, all-inclusive. A part of you is tied to them; why wouldn’t you be? They are literally moments you’ve lived through. Another part of you is excited by the new.
I was going to make some poignant point about living through covid times, but there have been many think pieces already dedicated to 2020, so I won’t be making that case. It was a rough year, and we’ll all just leave it at that, for now.
I want to talk about something else. Something personal. I’ve moved my fair share of flats, but this move seems more influential. This is my first move as an adult who’s earning a living. I’ve always packed light. When I moved from University to this world of work, I had exactly two and a half suitcases and one sports bag that had my squash racquets. That was it; and I was proud of it. I’m sure everyone knows about the cultural icon that Marie Kondo has come to be. She’s got her own show, written books and has a very positive on-screen persona. I dig her vibe. What I’m trying to say is, she was on my mind when I packed, or as I like to call it : pack with a purpose.
As I’ve been packing my bags, I’ve realized that I’ve accumulated a few items over the last two years. Each item that I have, represents something. It does not necessarily spark joy, but does take me to a place, and I can recall the exact context and meaning behind it. Furthermore, it didn’t matter how big or small it is; all I knew is that there is a story behind it.
Parting with them takes some effort, but I understand what has to be done. Maybe there’s a little lesson about adulthood, somewhere in there.
I’ve always liked to think that I buy something because it fulfils a need, a desire, a utility, for me. That may or may not be the same experience for everyone out there, but we’re all consumers, and we all get excited about our ability to acquire. I don’t mean that negatively.
We make our own meaning. I learned this back in school when I made a paper plane and gave it to a girl, and she smiled back, but I knew she was ecstatic. A simple paper plane, but let me tell you, it could glide. That was it. Of course, the paper plane hasn’t survived to this day (or maybe it has, I honestly do not know). Look, the point I’m trying to make is:
We’ve all heard philosophers cry foul and the modern sentiments around consumer culture and cluttering; adverts keep telling you to buy more, while the zeitgeist will have you know that things don’t make us happy.
And we wonder. What's the most optimum path? Does it need to be optimum at all? Can it be random? Does it need to be stressful?
As vague as it may sound, I think it can be whatever you’re most comfortable with. If you’re a collector, then every entry in your collection means the world to you. If not, then toothbrush one does the job as good as toothbrush twentieth. Like life, it all depends on the context.
I let go of stuff that is impractical to fit in my bags and hold on to the one Harry Potter scarf that I got from Hot Topic because it was a wonderful thanksgiving year; I waited in line to get that scarf and I have received many compliments while sporting it.
So, my takeaway from this process is …
Befriend the feeling that the possession represents, and it will be with you long after it has withered away
The Lego from the tweet at the top, I had to part with it t’day; going to build another one!
