The thing about things…

The following article was published in The IS Collection’s March 2010 issue. Check out their website here!

Buying things and giving things and getting things. Affording and keeping and wanting and craving and needing things. There is a stigma about our attachment with and desire for things: Fingers pointed, judgments formed, comments made and conclusions jumped to-because of our relationship with things. But the thing is, things are not a bad thing. I wonder though, what really is the thing about things?

Some things are just things and other things represent things far more than material things. People, places, that time a long time ago and that time yet to come. Everyone has different things that matter, different things that mean something. Sometimes things are the only way to say, describe, explain, express that thing that you want to say, describe, explain, express…but don’t-can’t-won’t…without a thing–so you don’t have to say a thing.

Some things are things that make you feel envied, admired, approved, attractive, important, accepted…seen. But those things are not long lasting things. Those things are outer things that tell a story about inner things- and that’s a whole other thing.

It’s OK to want things, maybe need things. Wonder what would happen if you don’t have things, buy things, give things, get things. Be curious about that one thing that makes you feel part of things, or makes you feel like a pretty young thing. Maybe its does help to have that thing that says I’m moving on…for real this time. Maybe.

Maybe feeling the feelings…those feelings, isn’t accessible yet. Maybe they are too much or too bold or too heavy for this moment, right now. Maybe you need to see it, prove it, show it… out here, in the world of touchable, definable things. And maybe that’s perfectly perfect. Maybe.

We don’t live in a thing-less world. But instead of judging and pointing and commenting and deciding…let’s talk about things, and get clear about some things. Be awake, aware, here, wondering, curious. Think about things.

What’s the story behind that thing? What does it mean? What does it say? Why is it important? Why do you want it, need it, have to have it? What kinds of expectations are you placing on yourself to have that thing and that thing… oh, and that thing too. Who are you, with or without your things?

The thing about things is that some things are just material things, and other things symbolize more…indefinable, indescribable, inner feelings and thoughts and experiences. Both are allowed- human-part of the process-beautiful, as long as you know the difference.

So be curious about things. Consider your relationship with material things and inner things and outer things and other things. What do certain things represent to you, say about you, do for you? Respect other people’s relationship to things- respect your relationship to things.

Think about things, and begin to understand what your thing is…about things.

And that’s the thing about things.

Love,