"The best things in life aren't things."-Art Buchwald
As a kid, I wanted to grow up so quickly. I saw adulthood as a path to freedom; freedom to go where I want, eat what I want, and be who I wanted to be. Technically, I can do these things, and try to as often as possible. But, as an independent adult, I am attached to so many things.
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| Dream away, little Paige... |
For example, on any given Saturday morning, I wake up and feel like I have to clean my whole (tiny) apartment (which really only takes about an hour), do laundry, clean dishes, go grocery shopping and suddenly it's almost noon! Then, I tend to to go on a hike, but really I should be cleaning my car (and fix the damn crack that has been in my windshield since February...of 2011!).
If I didn't have so many things, I probably wouldn't need a whole apartment. If I had no car, I wouldn't need to repair it. If my clothing collection didn't take up a closet and a whole dresser set, I wouldn't need to wash my clothes in such huge bulks of laundry (and forget about folding them, I do enough folding at work already.) I think about how my impact on the Earth would be so much smaller without these things.
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| I don't even like coats! |
But, what I have is all part of a certain lifestyle that I have chosen to live. To give all of this up means to change my life in a drastic way. Being in this little hippie town of Santa Fe has opened my eyes to other possibilities and paths.. I see young travelers who live out of backpacks or vehicles. I don't know if I am quite ready for that, but I am certainly feeling a draw.
Recently, I gave up my internet service and subscription to internet radio. Now, I have to write my blog & do website work in the library, bookstores, coffee shops and friends' houses (thanks guys!) I think I would eventually like to give up my apartment, furniture, most of my dishes and clothes, definitely my kitchen appliances, decorations and probably the awesome yellow couch my parents lament sending across country (I'll give it back!)
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| My living room! I'll be giving up most of those books... |
I want to trade in my car for a truck, possibly live in the woods for a while and save money, then buy something I can live and travel in. I dream of an Airstream.
What I will keep are old pictures that I don't have digital copies of, essential kitchen ware, Oliver the cat (and my fish, Link2 and Zelda if they are still alive!), towels, some clothes and shoes, art supplies, my guitar, journals, yoga mat, photography equipment, camping gear and definitely all of my costumes.
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| I couldn't survive without these glasses! |
I struggle with attachment as well, Paige. For me, this struggle is similar to "living IN this world, without being OF this world"...that, and balance. How do I attain enough of the things that I need to live, without getting too attached to those things?
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking a lot, lately, about practice and non-attachment, as defined by Patanjali in the yoga sutras. Patanjali explains that practice is composed of three elements: (1) it takes place over a long period of time, (2) one should practice without ceasing, and (3) practice should be performed in all earnestness. In yoga, practice and non-attachment are coupled together. The practice helps us to "NEVER GIVE UP," whereas the non-attachment helps us to "always let go." Practice, therefore, becomes the tool for developing our non-attachment.
I have already written too much, but I suppose my point in all of this is to say that I will just keep on practicing, in the hope that my yoga practice will loosen my ties to "things."
Om Shanti, beautiful friend.
Ally (Jyothi)