A Lot of Stuff by Dr. Juan Harrison
A Lot of Stuff
I noticed that the older I get the simpler I want my life to be. Some of my friends have fourteen doctor appointments attached to the refrigerator door. I try to keep it as clean as possible. Siitting in a doctor’s office is not my idea of living.
My wife tells me I’m hard to shop for. At Christmas I just tell her to order me another pair of work shoes and pick up a few work-related items that I can think of. Growing up on a farm there wasn’t much time or money to recognize a birthday. Christmas might consist of one toy if we were lucky. Things don’t mean much to me. The more you get the more you have to worry about fixing when it breaks or somebody stealing it when you’re gone.
A lot of us could likely classify ourselves as simple people. A lot of stuff just gets in our way. It seems like the more we have the more we worry and find our minds getting cluttered up with stuff. We don’t begrudge others of wanting this or that. Spending money makes the world go round. I just find anything I don’t have to buy or fool with, the happier I am.
A strange thing I’ve noticed about people with a lot of stuff is that having a lot of stuff hasn’t necessarily made them any happier. It often seems, perhaps out of necessity, that they have to be a bit more guarded and protective of their stuff. Something in their makeup may have them often wondering if people like them for themselves or for their stuff. Consequently, they often seem a bit wary of others and often find themselves lonely, alone, and wondering why no one comes to see them, or, if they come, are they just trying to make some brownie points or ensure a spot in their last will and testament.
It’s not hard to understand why some folks go off to the mountains or the woods to escape from all the responsibilities of life and all its material responsibilities. Most of us can’t or won’t chuck it all. We keep holding on to our responsibilities and the material things dragging behind. We often admire people who have found a way to shuck some of the coils of the mortal soul and replace them with a little more thinking time and possible accompanying peace of mind. Less stuff to figure out who gets what when we’re gone. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you as you were ordering that extra- large casket with extra storage space in there. Hate to break the bad news. Might want to get what pleasure you can out of your stuff right now. Don’t think that fancy container is gonna do the trick.
By Dr. Juan Harrison
