A culture that worships MORE
The weather seems to be hinting the tail end of winter ( as I always hope even when winter was just starting ). So I walk around the house, thinking to do an early Spring cleaning. Looking around the living room, in the corner was my husband’s pile of reading book on the side table - ah, I don’t need to touch that. In the other corner were pile of things my daughter would be taking with her by next week for their school trip. It appeared piled up neatly in a corner, but as it does not really belong there, I feel an itch to move it somewhere, but stopped myself.
I walk into my closet and I look around, a bit dazed. All these clothes. I look at my shoes, my sweaters, my purses. How did I get to accumulate all these, most of which I only had worn just a few times, others still has store tags in them.
Clearly I was haunted by a wild hunger for something I couldn’t name. If some was good, more had to be better. Having more of what I didn’t need was better than having nothing when I need them. This is a difficult pill to swallow, because we live in a culture that worships MORE.
We are so brainwashed into believing that more is better, that we no longer questrong what it costs or whether it adds anything to our lives. Perhaps, in our mind, we have that belief that there is an elusive tipping point when more will finally become enough. Meanwhile, we keep on adding up to a pile we don’t really need.
I slide back and forth between the desire for more and that fear that I won’t have any of that thing when I need it. In the movement from one pole to the other, we are always whirling in the trance of deficiency in which we equate restraint with deprivation,being silent with being empty. Or at least I do. I get seduced by the promise of adding yet another outfit for myself, to myself. And then I remember. And then I forget. And then remember again.
Recent Comments
72
Hey Maria!
I had a bunch of T-Shirts that I didn't want to get rid of because they were sentimental, but I wasn't wearing them and they were taking up a lot of space. I didn't want to part with them so I bought some cushion/pillow covers with zippers, but instead of stuffing them with a pillow or fillers, I stuffed my T-Shirts into them. Now they are used as decorative cushions/pillows for my bed that holds my T-Shirts. 😊
Jena
OMG! You are as sentimental as I am! What is your Zodiac sign?
Some of my clothes have special meanings!
This is dope! I have the exact feeling about my clothes! Oh thank you Jena for sharing this!
Cheers,
Maria 🌹
Hey Maria!
Yeah, I'm very sentimental! I am a Cancer. What about you? I have a feeling that you and I are a lot like and if we lived close, we would get together for girl time! Lol 😘🥰 🙂
Cheers,
Jena 🌹
I am an Aquarian and very sentimental and very emotional!
I agree that you and I are a lot alike in so many ways, and we easily be great girl friends !!!🤗😍
I can identify with the enigma of clothing, what is too much and what is not? I have just retired from a private practice where I saw clients for medication management. I dressed casually but nicely and after I lost a lot of weight, darn, I needed a whole new wardrobe! So here I sit, my closet is packed and I'm in sweatpants and T-shirts and feel sooo comfortable! All these nice dressier clothes waiting for an event where I can use them again. My daughter insists I go clothes shopping with her and she has a very large closet (walk-in) that you can barely open the door to it. Was this MY influence? We have similar styles and can wear each other's clothes but I'm not the one borrowing!
I assume that I will eventually settle into whatever attire feels right for me now that I don't have to dress up every day. Yes, it's enticing to go shopping and see something I like but then, I have to stop and wonder when and where would I wear it. What a dilemma we have. I will now need to change my concept of want versus need all over again. I could think of worse issues to have to address, agree?
First of all, Congratulations on your retirement! Secondly, for a successful weight loss!
Joyce, those milestones require a major shopping spree. You can do a total makeover. Donate your old clothes to Salvation Army. Now you can have a total wardrobe change. Consider a frequent travel, with your new outfit, now that you’re retired!
If you need a shopping companion, I can volunteer if your daughter is tied up with something!! 😉
Cheers,
Maria 🌹
Thank you Maria, I have done the changeover and rid myself of too-big clothing. Now my daughter is doing the same thing and we used to travel together. Now she has a boyfriend so mom is left out of the travel plans! So, I need this to work so I can do my own traveling as I choose. Plan on getting a passport first, never have had one and only have been to Canada and Mexico areas where I did not need them. That has changed now. (We are in the same size now and like the same things. Of course, I won't wear the skimpier things she gets, I am a bit old for some of them. LOL
Joyce
You sound a bit like the wife there Mariaster!
Constantly buying new clothes, shoes, bags, belts, jewellery etc....
When there are so many items that have never even been used before in the wardrobe!!
I must have about 10% of the wardrobe space here (that does not include shoes though which would be around 1% of the space) but at least I put everything I have to good use and only need more when necessary!
👍🤣🥂
I guess me and your wifey should be on a therapy of some sort Nickster!
Or better yet, we should be banned from going to these malls.
It’s a problem and I don’t have a solution except to make my closet look pretty! 😀
Cheers,
Maria 🌹
Haha, Nick
I have 10 to 15%, of the wardrobe space too, which is fine by me.
My wife is constantly buying me more clothes than I need. She definitely requires most of the closet and drawer space.
Clothes don’t mean much to me. I’m a guitar man. 😎
Frank 🤘🎸
Hi Susan
Haha, I'm pretty easygoing.
My wife is the best thing that ever happened to me, so I'm happy to give her whatever she likes. 😎
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
Banned from shopping would certainly do the trick Mariaster unless it's for something one actually NEEDS!!
Sounds like you need to make your closet bigger my friend!!!
Cheers!
🤣👍🥂
I hear you Frank, clothes don't mean much to me either..... my wine cellar on the other hand!!!
Rock On!
🤣👍🍷🎸😎
Hi Nick
I dress well when I go out with my wife and for professional encounters. Otherwise, anything goes! Lol 😎
We have a wine room with shelving for about 400 bottles. It comes in handy for parties, etc. We keep it stocked with a nice assortment of about 30 to 50 bottles.
I'll have a small glass with dinner, now and again. It would all go bad if it were up to me to drink it. Haha 😂
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
I don’t need to have my “walk-in closet” be bigger Nickster.. I still have lots of space, I literally had no reason to add more in my watdrove!
Maria🌹
Same for me Frank!
Wow! Space for 400 bottles would be great! As I live in an apartment mine only has space for 120 I believe.... but it gets re-stocked on a weekly basis!!!!
🤣👍🍷🍷🍷
My wife's walk in closet certainly needs to be bigger Mariaster.... she has also filled the closets from the two spare bedrooms as well!!
Cheers!
🤣👍🍷
You have a choice Nickster, build another walk in closet for wifey OR get another apartment just for her wardrove! 😂😂😂
Maria🌹
Hi Maria
I know you work hard and deserve everything you need or makes you happy. 👍
It's amazing how much stuff we don't use, so it can be good to reorganize occasionally.
I make it a point to get rid of one thing a week that is just tsking up space. 😎
Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸
“I know you work hard and deserve everything you need or make you happy “
— Thank you for that acknowledgement Frankie🎸😎!!!
It’s the getting rid of a thing that would really be difficult for me to do! Haha! So that’s where the problem lies. 😀
Cheers,
Maria🌹
If you want to keep something, that’s all the reason you really need, Maria. 😎
People who don’t see the value in someone’s belongings are usually missing its sentimental component.
Frank 🎸
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Thank you Maria
My mom is a hoarder of things she will more likely never use, but she always says you don't know I might need this and that one day.
It is easy to accumulate so much in such a short time, I make it a point to clean out and try to downsize every spring and fall.
Jeff
This was how the post came about Jeff! I make it a habit to clean up during Spring & Fall!
Things accumulate so quickly in no time!
Cheers,
Maria🌹
I do the same thing but have difficulty getting my husband to get rid of things. I have to dump things somewhere else as he bags up the garbage and opens bags and pulls things back out. He's in his 70's and still holds onto college books.