Daily Inspiration 9-30-11

"Strangely enough, they have a mind to till the soil,

and the love of possessions is a disease in them."

-- Sitting Bull

"In our rich consumers' civilization we spin cocoons

around ourselves and get possessed by our possessions."

-- Max Lerner

I used to laugh at my mother for saving everything and never throwing anything away. She grew up in the depression in the 1930s and translated that lack into thinking possessions was part of her value. I used to laugh because of the things she saved from when I was a child. It wasn't memorabilia, although she had plenty of that, but an end table, or a very, very outdated picture that used to hang over our couch in the 1950s.

I inherited more of that than I care to have and lately, I've been seriously working on unloading. The sheer volume of things that I own is huge. I've got sales records from when I was a new salesman in 1973. Can't imagine the value of keeping those anymore. Then, I have drawers full of stuff that hasn't even seen daylight in so many years.

I remember watching one of those shows on TV where the Australian guy was convincing people to let go of things. He might say, 'if you haven't touched it in over a year, it probably needs to go.' Heck, I've got lots of things that I haven't touched in ten years! So, why do I have them? You know, I've forgotten. It seemed important at the time as if someone might want to see that, or I might want to show it, or use it to justify something, boost an ego--who knows?

I've got cables in drawers all over the place. RCA cables for connecting stereos, printer cables that are from the turn of the century, power cables, transformers, and even some cables that I haven't got a clue about, but felt they should be saved for some reason. It's kind of crazy.

There are some things that have sentimental value in earnest. The rest of it needs to go away. So, yesterday, I began the process of unloading my life of excess baggage. I mean, how important could it possibly be if I haven't even touched it or looked at it in over ten years? Or even one year? It seems that quote from yesterday's Daily Inspiration about the last suit you wear doesn't need pockets, struck a chord.

I'm practicing the art of letting go and in the process, I am feeling so much lighter and yet I've only just begun. Onward to a more reasonable number of things. . .

Let's See. . . If A Huge Fire Were Coming Over The Hill And I Had Exactly 15 Minutes And One Pickup Truck, What Would I Save?

Spread Some Joy Today--Be yourself. You are perfect the way you are! Let it be.