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| Mrs. 'Boro: Paring down possessions no easy challenge |
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By: JEANNE BRAGG, Post Columnist
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Posted: Sunday, August 30, 2009 8:05 am
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I recently read an article about a pastor in Minnesota who presented a “100 Thing Challenge” to his congregation. He said he had pared his own possessions to fewer than that and encouraged his members to follow his lead.
As they did, enough was donated to fill a warehouse. All participants said it was very freeing.
I can identify with that. Having pared my own personal possessions recently I, too, find it VERY freeing.
Even so, when I look in my closet, I don’t think about how much I have purged but how much more needs to go. I’m not even close to bare bones, when I find few extra hours I intend to work at it even harder.
But to limit your worldly possessions to only 100 items? That just blows my mind.
One of my daughters lives in a shoebox in New York and is highly organized. If anyone knows what is necessity and what isn’t, she does. But she probably has 100 items alone in her kitchen cabinets.
I’m not about to divulge the number of items in my kitchen cabinets, but let’s just say it’s very high.
I can’t imagine that one could live in a recreational vehicle, a studio apartment or even a hotel room with less than 100 items.
One of those items would have to be a credit card to eat out. Because how could you cook at home without at least three pans, a stove, a refrigerator, a spatula, eating utensils, etc? I couldn’t operate without at least 25 REAL necessities in the kitchen, not to mention how much I’d miss my favorite spices and condiments. I guess if you limit yourself to 100 items, you don’t cook often.
Maybe I need to pay a visit to the congregation in Minnesota.
And as far as clothing goes, one would require more than one pair of dress pants (or skirt) and more than one pair of underwear, even if you washed them yourselves daily and let them hang in the warmest place in your house to dry.
I know a washer and dryer would be on my Top 100 list.
I could shed half of my washing “equipage” easily, but there are some spot removers and laundry boosters I’d hate to be without.
I couldn’t live without a bathrobe, dental floss, a toothbrush and a spare towel.
Not to mention shampoo, a hairdryer in winter months and some deodorant.
With only 100 possessions you’d have to spend a lot of your time maintaining what you have, it seems to me.
I’ll bet there would be very little to throw away, therefore no garbage bags, garbage cans, etc.
And you certainly couldn’t have any hobbies.
I probably have at least 100 items alone for my painting hobby, and would be well served to pare down on the gargantuan amount of fabric, needles, safety pins, etc. But don’t want to.
Do you think a computer to be a must? Would a newspaper count? How else would you know what’s on special when you decide to go out to eat. (LOL)?
And you surely couldn’t have a pet.
Ironically, the answers to the problems perpetuate the dilemma, in my opinion.
On April 10 of this year, many people in Murfreesboro learned what they could and couldn’t live without. They could probably tell us in two minutes what does really matter and what doesn’t.
If forced to, I could probably rise to the task.
I could learn to do without the necessities. But please, oh please, leave my luxuries alone.
‘Til next week. |
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Member Opinions:
By: justdance on 8/31/09
good article......
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