What is it we really desire?
Our possessions don’t define us. We know this, but there’s nothing like letting go of stuff to really feel it.
Sometimes we choose to release our things: having a yard sale, donating to thrift stores, giving to friends in need. (Yay!) Other times our items are taken from us: lost or misplaced pieces, our home is broken into, the basement floods. (Yikes!)
I am learning a lot about possessions, stuff, and what I think I really need. What if that is part of the purpose of extended transition? A hidden gift within the process?
Summer
When we sold our house to move closer to family, it was a fantastic time to realize that we had a lot of possessions we no longer needed. Twenty-plus years in one location of We Might Need This One Day, combined with The Kids Have Long Outgrown This, in addition to Hey We Could Fix This Up So Someone Might Use It, resulted in an embarrassingly large amount of thrift store dropoffs and dump runs.
There’s nothing like moving house to make a person realize which possessions are truly desired to have, versus just held onto out of habit. What is it I really desire? A beautiful phrase that helped me in this discernment was, “Is this an item I want in the new home? And if it’s not, then do I really want it now?”
Fall
As we looked toward building on the family property of over forty years, my husband and I stayed in the existing cabin. (THANK YOU, Dad and Mom! Oh look, we’re boomerang quinquagenarians…?!?) All of our possessions went into storage in the onsite pole building, the only items that needed to be easily accessible in an ongoing manner were basically our clothing. And even at that, we each only needed a sampling of our total seasonal pieces. (To be fair, my hubby set up a magnificent workbench in the storage building, so he is fully functional with maintenence and repair as well.)
Moving from the house to the cabin felt like beautifully going from one home to another. Now, all of our possessions are in one location instead of two. There’s nothing like combining households to make a person realize another level of stuff to process. The number of minnow buckets and coolers alone are lighthearted family jokes now.
But get this — I am learning, by living it, that the pared-down pieces I kept out of storage, for actual use and/or enjoyment now, is enough. Less truly is more. What is it I really desire? Being here, closer to our folks. Living on the lake. Actually being one of the full-time neighbors in this community.
Winter
Okay, since the cabin is seasonal and it’s northern Minnesota we are now at Winter Quarters. Down the shore by the public landing is a family fishing resort, and they have graciously rented us one of their winterized cabins. Fully furnished (and now we have indoor plumbing!), all we needed to bring was clothing and towels.
Even though it is yet another transition, another temporary, it does not actually feel like moving. There is no packing and unpacking, only shifting locations down the road. (Stay tuned, for Spring!) The area is the same, we still get to be one of the neighbors. It matters not what kitchen supplies are and are not here, I get to use what’s on hand rather than have to unpack and then repack “my” kitchen that’s in storage. And heck, at three bedrooms this place has more room for company than our original house ever had. What is it I really desire? Hanging out here together with family, and enjoying our adult kids and their dogs. Watching the lake activity, including my husband keeping the ice road open for easier ice fishing access. Enjoying the birds and bunnies, keeping them supplied with seed especially in these subzero temps.
Belongings are not the same as belonging.
I am learning much firsthand about possessions, and about it all being not by what we have, but by who is with us.
And yes, I do realize that this learning is super-facilitated by the fact that I am currently living in extended transition, extended temporary.
But really… aren’t we all?
What is it that you are hanging onto?
What is it that you be longing for?
gina drellack is the author of This Time, Glide: Stop Struggling for Success and Start Achieving through Ease and Joy, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Balboa Press. She is also a contributing author to Animals: Personal Tales of Encounters with Spirit Animals, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sacred Stories.
Shout-out to recent class participants!
Thank you to everyone who has been attending my community education classes on various energy-work pathways! I encourage you to check out your own local community ed — consider both taking classes and teaching something that you love! When we share who we are and what we enjoy, everybody benefits. I have an upcoming Clutter Clearing two-session class, and am teaching Reiki classes this spring. If you are interested and will be in northern MN, we would love to see you there!
gina drellack is the author of This Time, Glide: Stop Struggling for Success and Start Achieving through Ease and Joy, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Balboa Press. She is also a contributing author to Animals: Personal Tales of Encounters with Spirit Animals, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Sacred Stories.
gina drellack 
Pingback: Sometimes you have to just surrender to the adventure | gina drellack
Pingback: A gratitude practice, leveled-up. | gina drellack
Great post! I definitely agree that paring down your belongings is a good way to make space for the things that matter more. After all, one can’t bring all those material possessions at the other side.
LikeLike