If your house was burning down, what would you take with you?
Foster Huntington, writer of my favorite blog, A Restless Transplant, asks this thought-provoking question. The responses are multi-faceted in both content and philosophy. What's most important to you? What can't you let go of? Or in my case, if I had an opportunity to get rid of everything, what would be most important for me to keep? What do I use?
Foster's creation of The Burning House was ironically timed. I've always felt as if I had too much stuff; however, I've always used it at one time or another. Yet, for the past two months I've been entertaining the thought of significantly simplifying my life. We are encumbered by our possessions, our relationships, and our past. What we carry with us is in many ways just as much of a deliberate decision as it is not. The act of removing clutter- emotional, psychological, and physical, alike, isn't easy, though.
As I prepare to pack for a four week trip to Europe and moving back to Bloomington just days after my return, I'm given the opportunity to reassess myself and my relationships with my possessions.
Catharsis.
What do I need? What do I want? What do I use? If I were to walk away today, what would I bring?
Though the hypothetical situation would demand quick thinking and action, I can only imagine that the others who have and who will respond, like myself, spent more than thirty seconds looking around their room. Moments after I sent Foster my response, I felt as if I should have retracted it and sent a new one. The jeans and OCBD I'm always wearing. The money clip, wallet, and pocket square already in my back pocket. My car keys. My belt buckle. My camera and lenses. My Computer. My loafers.
Not looking back is easy; it's walking away that's the hard part.
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