Stuff...

For the last month, my neighbors have been in the process of selling almost everything they own and moving away to start a new life.  It was really strange going across the street and seeing the house that had once been so beautifully decorated, completely empty.  The couches that we sat on while chatting were gone.  The family picture that hung in the entryway, gone.  The friend that I had spent many hours talking with and walking with...gone.  It made me think about how quickly things can change in life.  It also made me think about all the "stuff" and clutter that I have in my life.  All of the hours and money that I have put into trying to make my house beautiful.  My friend had spent time and money making her house beautiful, only to sell it all off.  As she was packing what was left of her and her family's belongings into the two little trailers that will be their home for the next three months, she was telling me how much things had changed in the last year.  That house was to have been the place where they raised their kids and enjoyed their grandkids.  They had planned on staying forever.  And then life happened and things changed.  She had once been so concerned about having her house spotless and her yard perfect.  And then she had to go back to school and work and no longer had the time to care.  She had once been so consumed with appearance and had tons of great clothes and jewelry.  And now she was selling it all off because it wouldn't all fit in the trailer.  And it wasn't all that important to her anymore.

The thing that I've learned from this is that it's not the stuff you accumulate that's important.  It's the people.  It's the experiences.  You can't take the houses, cars, boats, clothing etc with you when you die.  All you have is what you've done and who you've known and what you've learned.  After all, isn't that why we're even here?  To learn?  To love?  To experience life?  When we die, someone is just going to go through all of our stuff and sell it off or throw it away.  So I think I'm going to try focusing on what I CAN take with me, and not stressing so much about what I can't.