When kids and I moved from Calgary to Digby, we carried minimum things with us for survival until the big moving truck arrived a few weeks later (and my husband a month after). In three suit cases and three boxes, we packed our camping items such as sleeping bags, a few portable mattresses, pots, pans, some utensils and dishes as well as ordinary travelling necessities.
Right after the arrival, we bought cleaning supplies including a small plastic stool. Our table was two cardboard boxes. We sat on the stool, a small cooler box and whatever available.
We cooked various foods with two pots and a frying pan. We even baked cheese cake using an old cookie sheet and hand beater we found in the kitchen.
Since then, the four ton track full of things were unloaded, new furniture was added and now the house is quite full with all sorts of things.
Today I remembered I had bought four mug cups from a friend of mine. Her illustration is on the mug and I really like them. While I place them in the cupboard, probably I should throw or give away some old mugs, stained, chipped or the paint of that is coming off. However, those are originally my husband’s. He may have some memory with each of them. In that case, what should we do? The cupboard will be too small to keep all mugs. Move old ones into a memorial box and keep it in the storage?
When we moved here, we had one cup, plate and bowl each. We cooked, ate and cleaned simply matching what we had. We didn’t have any trouble with it.
The life has been evolving. As we settled, we started cooking and eating more variety. People started visiting us. The definition of ‘needs’ has changed. Our life shifted from survival to entertainment and pleasure.
The handsome mugs with lovely artwork will bright up our life, but the new addition also creates more work in our life. To make the matter more difficult, I am the one who can’t throw things away easily.
Sometimes I miss the time I lived with very little. Moving is one of the greatest occasions to give up many accumulated things. It is a decision making time. Life gets simple by throwing stuff away. You realize you can actually live without so much.
On the other hand, life is the accumulation of small things. We explore, meet new, get moved, fall in love and can’t help possessing small treasures in a hope of imprinting the feeling you got through it. The life with no love and passion may be calm yet dull and tiring. The house with no treasure won’t be warm and personal.
Looking at the boxes of kids’ rock, sea shell, Origami and so on ever-growing collections, I feel humorous as well as frustrated with the mess. I may not be as aggressive as them but I am unmistakably one of the collectors of little treasures of life. I tell my kids to be responsible for their own collection, but I can’t stop them from collecting.
After all, we live in the balance of chasing and giving things up. We often feel we have so much, almost too much stuff. Nevertheless, we always find what we ‘need’ one after another. How much is enough – I will never find the perfect answer. Or the answer is probably both –you already have enough, and at the same time you will never have enough.