I have little and I love that!
Like everybody else fiery billboard promotions and zealous hype had left me chasing dreams of possessing car and clothes, all the while working in a job I hated so that I can buy stuff I really didn’t need in the first place! It was not long before eventually the things I owned ended up owing me instead. It wasn’t as good as I’d hoped! Sometimes it was overwhelming and would leave me feeling gutted.
It’s hard to remember when I first took the decision to intentionally live with fewer possessions. I suppose it was born quite a few years back mainly out of growing discontent with my screwy conception about life’s purpose. Everything sulked and felt like slipping away. And all the while I was all kinda busy woefully wishing for a better and happier life. As the size of my home grew so did the number of things stuffed into closets. I was spending more and more time caring for everything I possessed.
While cleaning stowage one Sunday morning, it struck me hard; how much of my life was being stolen by things that I own? Wasn’t I neglecting things that meant the most to me as a result? It was touchy, perhaps a bit nasty too but from that moment I decided to break free. Next I began to get rid of the non essentials.
I had decided to own less!
Ever since I figured it out and chose to settle with less, I’ve been experiencing countless benefits; more time for me, more money, more freedom, more energy; all with less stress and distraction. Fewer possessions and a careful use of resources have provided me with the opportunity to follow my greatest passions. It’s great! And I’ve figured it out; I’ll never go back to the way I’ve lived so far. For me that lifestyle is bootless now. Interestingly, along the way I’ve discovered something even better than owning less; wanting less is not foolish and is definitely a better way to make a fresh start.
You may ask; if all that was so unnecessary what pushed me to catch up with ‘simple is more’ idea. All I had known so far was that ‘more than, less than or equal to’ are the inequalities meant to represent the relation between two numbers or two expressions. No more!
This is how it all began to happen one fine morning.
The other day, I was visiting my neighbor at his home just across the street. We were childhood buddies and it’s been awhile since we had last met; so the warmth flew free. Fireside chat soon changed to heart- to- heart gab. I was taken aback for a moment when he confided how anxious he was about the upcoming weekend. “Why?” I asked. “Well, I’m having some new friends coming over for dinner and I’m embarrassed about the size of my house. The last time I went to one of theirs, it was huge and beautiful and gorgeously decorated. Probably one of nicest I ‘d ever laid my eyes on”. Now I knew why he looked so edgy and sounded hollow. Obviously, he was sizing himself up and feeling awkward in his own house!
I felt a bit sad for him. Graciously I said what I needed to say; that he had nothing to worry about, that things will be just fine, that his house was big enough and that what matters above all is the feeling you get when you enter a home which is far more important than square footage or the marquee furniture.
It’s hard to tell if that was any relief to him. I guess, that’s the least comfort I have offered to someone who’s disappointed or miserable over something as unimportant as the bigness of his house!
Later as I left his place I felt downhearted. What a crummy way to live; always eyeing the possessions of others and equating them to your own! There’s no joy here; this way of living sucks and outlook on life is disparaging. Discontent and envy only make matters worse. Both my friend and the spite that haunted him, were a weak match to wish for a full life. Still, I couldn’t fully disassociate myself from what I had experienced during his telling of the story. I had lived in smaller home years ago as well and couldn’t be happier with my life then. I had never wished for a bigger one. I’d often walk past a lot many in the neighborhood all the time and coyly say to myself, “I’m sure glad I don’t have it else I’d be spending so much time and energy taking care of that big pile!” The benefits of being in a smaller home were just great!
Soon thereafter, we moved into our ancestral house. It was a big deal; open space, room for everybody, patio, small patch of green – just about everything in it appeared larger and much bigger. Life was perhaps hinting at better. But this is when I began to think about how much everything else has changed and wondered how unattractive the constant pursuit of material possessions means to me. Somehow not only I wanted to own less, I wanted less. Perhaps then this would be a wonderful place to be in, I’d confide in me. I would feel comforted and reassured.
Today because I don’t want to own more than I already have, I am finally free from the constant collating of my stuff to others. I am no longer tormented by an incessant pursuit for more money and more stuff. I have found contentment in the things that I own. And above all I have discovered more room for generosity.
Because I don’t want to own anymore than I already have, I am free from constant contemplation. I am no longer bound to the incessant pursuit of more money and more belongings. I have found peace, contentment and happiness in the things that I have. It has also served me with extra space to indulge and be openhearted in giving. I have finally found my stride and begun to bend my pursuits towards things that matter. It’s no more a race to have it all. Things no longer define me as an individual. I’ve stopped buying stuff knowing that they will only burden me and add to my worries. I’m content with whatever I’ve now for I know that more doesn’t guarantee joy or happiness.
To me it’s a great feeling living with less and… wanting less even better!
The Maverick#59: Inspiring and empowering, for the best is possible. 