"So, how's your clutter free month coming along?" my wife asked this morning sarcastically.
Eyeing my box of books that I had plucked from the book case, but had yet to get rid of, I did what most husbands do in this situation - I pretended I hadn't heard her.
The contrast between the great success of my alcohol-free month of September and my "clutter-free" month of October is pretty depressing. The problem is that it's hard to define success in this case. It's very subjective.
Here is my list so far:
1) Get rid of books I probably won't read again
2) Get rid of clothes I never wear
3) Put CD's into album
4) Figure out what to do with random running parafinalia (trophies, medals, numbers) that I don't need
5) Get rid of random electronics that I don't use
6) Organize my bills and miscelanious records
7) Empty out my box that's supposed to be for mail, but gets filled with other random stuff
8) Get rid of stuff in closet that I don't use
So far I'm part way through with #1 and we're a week into October. It's just kind of overwhelming. And although I understand that I would probably be better off without clutter - I just have a hard time changing my habits in this area. I could blame my mom - who had a sign on her desk at home that said "an empty desk is a sign of an empty mind." But, that would be unfair and cruel. Or I could blame it on my college roomates - who pushed me into feeling even more comfortable living in filth. Or even my wife - who admitidly isn't focused in that area either. But, any of those excuses are copouts. This is my issue and I need to figure out how to change my perspective. Not that I want to become some anti-social misfit - who says things like "cleanliness is next to godliness". I just want to simplify my life by de-cluttering my surroundings.
My inspiration for including this month as a part of my year of deconsumption came from a chapter from the book "Roads to Quoz" by William Least Heat-Moon. The chapter in question is about an older woman living in the desert of New Mexico. Heat-Moon had met her through letters she had written him about some of his previous books. She was interesting enough that he decided he needed to head out to meet her. His description of her 117-foot square living quarters (a trailer) made me realize how our penchent for collecting meaningless stuff is a major part of the reason that we are such energy hogs. Everything in her trailer had a purpose that helped her to live. She had lots of interests - was well read etc - but, she didn't collect things.
It struck me as very Budhist in a way. The focus on the breath in mediation or yoga is important, because it helps us to let go of attachment. Many eastern religions view attachment as the reason that we suffer in this world. Let go of attachment, as you let go of the air in your lungs, and you'll be much healthier in the end. This philosophy is an important part of the purpose of my year of deconsumption. Not only is it important for us to consume less for the planet - but, it also makes us healthier to consume less.
So, now that I've reminded myself why I included this month it's time to get back to work. If any of you have suggestions - or stories of how you de-cluttered your life I'd love to hear about it to further inspire me.
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my feeling is that much of human misery is cuased by an unwillingness to except who we are. while it's good to struggle to be better, i feel that people spend too much time being unhappy because they aren't who they think they should be... while ignoring who they are, who they HAVE to be.
ReplyDeleteexample: I'm a lazy person (how much work do you think i'm getting done right now?). i could spend my life unsuccessfully fighting that, failing and being miserable about my failure, or i could just try to come to some balance between what i need to get done and what i'd like to do (very little). i've fought it in the past... i always fail to some degree and that makes me unhappy. so i've learned to try as hard as my nature will allow, and so far that's worked out.
i would further argue that by your not insignificant age, you have mostly found those balance points. this is not to say that you shouldn't try to be better, but rather a reminder to give yourself a pat on the back for overcoming to some degree your beer swilling, slovenly self.
cheers friend.
i hear ya. But, I don't think this is about beating myself up. I think it's ok to look somewhat deeply into the things I'm attached to. Socrates once said - "the unexamined life is not worth living." These "trials" of the next year are about coming to a better understanding of what makes me, me. It's also about understanding that compared to most places and times we've got it easy. I don't think that's going to last my entire lifetime. The only hope is that we can all learn to live differently - if I can't change, then how can I hope that the rest of the world will change?
ReplyDeletefor the first time i truly wish i were younger so i could say, "socrates said that? wow, what was he like?"
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