Sometimes people learn new things in life by means of neccesity. Maybe this is a poor example, but you may feel like you would just die if you had your internet, cable TV, and cell phone taken away from you. Yet, many people that span the globe dont think it would be difficult to live without those things, because they have never had to live with them.
Due to my circumstances and the need to save money, I am working on turning over a new leaf and placing less value on material things or entertainment indulgances.
Other philosophies, Buddhism, Zen, Samurai, Jedi, or what have you . . . preach that it is OK to have "things" but attachment to those things is negative. When I stop to think about it, they couldnt be more right. So much negativity comes from attachment to material items. Emotions and concepts like:
Greed - Stealing from others, hoarding money, being unethical in the hopes of easily acquiring things you dont need and cant take with you when you die.
Fear - Fear of losing what you have leads to increasing your own anxiety levels as well as taking precautions that limit your ability to live life with freedom and focus on your relationships.
Envy - The desire to have what belongs to others. Jealousy is a poison that affects your own levels of stress and your ability to have content relationships with others.
When you can seperate your attachment to meaningless stuff, you will find a freedom and a levity that will increase your ability to enjoy life.
When I look back and evaluate my life and how I lived, will I be full of regret because I didnt have the Cartoon Network being pumped into my house, will I feel sadness because I didnt have a smart phone, or will I be proud that I gave up such trivial things so that I could spend more quality time and support the important people in my life?
Posted by
David D.
on
Saturday, June 5, 2010
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