Have you ever went through your closet or storage room and discovered all kinds of things that you never use, but are still reluctant to part with them? I know I have experienced this recently. My husband and I were doing some Spring cleaning – room by room we went through our stuff with the intent of getting rid of clutter.
While doing this I discovered that I attach memories to stuff, and even if the item is completely useless and will just remain on the shelf collecting dust, for some reason it feels like I would be violating some kind of fundamental law by getting rid of it. My husband, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to allow himself to become attached to things at all, which makes it really easy for him to get rid of any unnecessary items.
We had to compromise on some things, but I must admit that by marrying a man who is anti-clutter, I have learned to disconnect myself emotionally from almost everything we own. By doing so, I don’t get upset when we end up giving some of our stuff away or simply throwing it out. In fact, I have become a more generous person as a result of not having such strong attachments to material things.
I think it is important that we have a healthy view of our things. Material things won’t bring lasting happiness, and I am no worse for the wear despite the fact that many of my beloved things have been donated to thrift stores or our church or been discarded. Besides, the more things we have the more complicated our lives can become, and of course, the more we have the more money we had to spend to accumulate them, which, if not purchased within our budgets, could result in some major financial stress.
Long story short, material things certainly have a place in our lives, but make sure that having things isn’t your primary goal in life. Life is too short to allow yourself to get too attached to your stuff.
No Comments