With all the news of the terrible fires in California... I've been struck with thoughts of.... all those possessions we have in our homes. Or our apartments. Or where ever we live. We feel so secure, when we enter our abode. Or we hope to. If we don't, we plan so that we may one day feel safe, secure, happy, relaxed, peaceful.... 'at home' in our abode.
Naturally, we grow attached to it. And to all the objects we keep in it. Of course the people and pets are more important than the 'things.' We know this, intellectually. And everyone says; "It's only things" when any of our possessions is lost or damaged. It's only a thing. And we know it, intellectually.
But...
Imagine losing everything, contained in our abode. Walking away and coming back and not finding anything there. It's a terrifying thought, isn't it? It's almost too terrifying. And yet, all of it, is just things. How do we reconcile the terror.... with the "It's-just-things"... ?
Would we lose our memories, if we lost all the family photos and family films and trophies and saved momentoes? Would our memories no longer be there, if not for some tangible piece of paper or file on a computer hard drive? No. But yet, we shrink from thinking of having all the tangible sentimental stuff, gone.
Is this hard wired in humans? Is it too much to expect that we can ever fully rid ourselves of our love of our 'things'? Is that asking too much? Yes, we can try to pare down the total amount of 'things' we really need. But can we ever hope to get the number, to 0? Is that just too much to even contemplate?
Of course there are no swift answers to such questions. Of course not. And each person's answer would be unique to him/her. And to their time of life. And to many changeable things. But..... How do these thoughts strike you, right now? How does it make you feel to contemplate the loss of everything?
Naturally, we grow attached to it. And to all the objects we keep in it. Of course the people and pets are more important than the 'things.' We know this, intellectually. And everyone says; "It's only things" when any of our possessions is lost or damaged. It's only a thing. And we know it, intellectually.
But...
Imagine losing everything, contained in our abode. Walking away and coming back and not finding anything there. It's a terrifying thought, isn't it? It's almost too terrifying. And yet, all of it, is just things. How do we reconcile the terror.... with the "It's-just-things"... ?
Would we lose our memories, if we lost all the family photos and family films and trophies and saved momentoes? Would our memories no longer be there, if not for some tangible piece of paper or file on a computer hard drive? No. But yet, we shrink from thinking of having all the tangible sentimental stuff, gone.
Is this hard wired in humans? Is it too much to expect that we can ever fully rid ourselves of our love of our 'things'? Is that asking too much? Yes, we can try to pare down the total amount of 'things' we really need. But can we ever hope to get the number, to 0? Is that just too much to even contemplate?
Of course there are no swift answers to such questions. Of course not. And each person's answer would be unique to him/her. And to their time of life. And to many changeable things. But..... How do these thoughts strike you, right now? How does it make you feel to contemplate the loss of everything?
Then again, we all will face that day..... Sure as night follows day and spring follows winter. We all will lose all our stuff, someday. Without being in any way spiritual or religious... I wonder if now and then, we all could do with some contemplating, the loss of every thing? Maybe so the 'big one,' doesn't come as such a shock... ,-)
