Storage

I was driving down the road today and just happened to notice all the storage facilities that have popped up that folks can rent when their houses or garages are too full. That got my brain to thinking, so I decided to cruise through some neighborhoods and look at peoples’ garages. Much to my surprise, the majority were so full of stuff there was not even room for a car.

Why in the world do we buy stuff just to store and then go buy more? I remember when growing up our house had small closets, yet somehow it was just enough for what we had. Then as time went on and we moved up to houses with two-car garages and BIGGER closets, something magical happened - we bought enough stuff to fill that space too. Before you know it, we needed more closets, bigger attics, deeper garages, and a storage building just to hold the stuff we DO NOT even use!

Holy heck, what went wrong? This may seem a tad amusing and a bit close to home too. The sad thing is the impact this vicious cycle can have on us. We get so preoccupied with protecting and supporting what we have, while at the same time our brains are convincing us we need more. Then before you know it, our lives are held hostage by the stuff we have accumulated.
I mention this only to say that a wise person told me one time that in the end, all we have accumulated is nothing but stuff. We die and pass on our stuff to someone else so they can store it or figure out how to dispose of it, hopefully without creating family turmoil. It is not the accumulation of stuff we need to be focused on. Our lives will never be remembered by what we have; we will be remembered by what we do.

That begs the question, do you live to buy more stuff, or do you live to create more love? Your mind may convince you that the two can exist together but the truth is, they can't. Sure, on the surface it may seem like it, but trust me - love of people and love of stuff are countercultural. We delude our brains to the point that we think that we can buy happiness and create peace in others when the reality is all you are buying is a future heartache.

I want to include a disclaimer here; there is nothing inherently wrong with having luxuries or stuff. The problem comes in when the compulsion to buy more stuff erodes your ability to build friendships and loving relationships. We are social creatures, not material creatures. God made us with a heart and soul to share peace and joy with others.

As you start your day tomorrow, you decide for yourself how you feel about all the stuff you have accumulated. Consider whether your spending has taken away from something else.
Going back to the wise man I once met, he told me that in the end stuff is just stuff and love is just love. Only one, he said, will take you to where you want to go and it is up to you to decide.

peace to you
Dale