The Perspective of Stuff

History tends to repeat itself, which means if we do not know the lessons of history we are destined to make the same mistakes. However time and invention tend to change things, sometimes enough to make the future different. The example I am thinking of is how our children navigate the world of owning things. They spend their money on technology based things – phones, internet service and storage, social media subscriptions and other internet based items. They do not value stuff, or not the same stuff their parents and grand parents purchased.

Why do they not value the same things? Maybe it is because they see those things in the homes of their elders and do not value them in the same way as they value technology. Maybe it is because they see the homes filled to the brim and as people age they find themselves downsizing and getting rid of stuff. OR maybe they live in a different world with a different dollar value and have realized they will not have the disposable income of their elders, they won’t be able to afford the large spaces, so why fill them with stuff? OR, last of all, why buy what they will probably inherit? All of these work together to have changed the perspective and spending habits of the coming after us.

Let’s face it, we all know people who have stuff. I have stuff! We all have our own stuff, and if the media had their way we would be in a constant state of buying and collecting more stuff. What touched me about this quote was the wisdom in the statement, which reminds us to think. If you think stuff will make you happy, check out the lives of those who already have it. We all know the bare truth in that one, stuff does not make you happy, better, or satisfied. Stuff has a purpose, so use it and buy it for that purpose. More stuff does not mean better, smarter or richer…it simply means you have more stuff and have to manage, curate, clean and take care of all that stuff.

Be wise, manage your stuff so your stuff does not end up managing you. We all know the stories, the people who have been consumed by stuff. Let today’s quote remind us all to keep stuff in the proper perspective. We all own stuff, let us not turn it the other way around and let our stuff own us.