Tuesday, April 30, 2013

On Acquiring Things

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What do wine glasses, walking stick, belt, hat, dress, walking sandals, miscellaneous plates and dishes, a nightstand and a chaise lounge all have in common? I acquired all of them (and more) since I’ve moved to Silver City. Moved here less than 30 days ago and commenced my more portable life. Some of this stuff was free, some very cheap from Habitat Re-store, and some, like the Keen sandals, not so cheap. As much as I attempt to curb the all too common trait of acquiring things, I still do it. And I can justify about every item…
When I moved, I left most of my stuff in storage and with friends. I rented a fully furnished apartment. I did have my car loaded when I drove here, and shipped two decent sized boxes. The first arrived fine, the second one looked like it had been thrown from a truck and tumbled down a steep hill. But the stuff inside survived.
As I drove to San Lorenzo for coffee Sunday morning with a friend, Paul, I talked about this crazy acquisition habit. He laughed and said that he has moved A LOT, and he has learned over the years to buy cheap/used/borrowed, and then give it all away when he’s ready to move on. But I did notice that Paul does keep a few beloved possessions. He loves tea, so when we all meet at different friends’ homes for Sunday coffee, he brings his own tea, teapot, and an ancient tea cozy with him. Some things you just can’t give up. I am still trying to figure out what those things are for me.
Postcript: I had a restless night last night with a few things on my mind I don’t know how to approach or resolve. And I am still sorting out the whole acquisition habit. I walked to Carmon’s house in the morning to water her plants while she’s gone for a few days, and these are the messages I saw in the few short blocks to her house. And I thought –my life is so rich with meaning and experience and lovely art, why can’t this be enough? How many material possessions do I really need?
Sitting at the curb by my home...

Escobar's message

And some days, there's a lot of fog...

Morning sun shadow trellis

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