I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with possessions and periodically vow to rid myself of anything that’s not absolutely essential. The problem is, what I consider essential changes. For instance, when I came back from a two week camping trip in Wyoming, I thought I could get rid of all my pots and pans and get by, as I had in the mountains, with one bowl, a fork, and a Swiss Army knife. Then I decided I would start a juicing regimen and cook a lot of rice dishes.
I go through similar phases with gear: the saddles, riding boots and tack were purged to make room for motorcycle jackets/helmets/tools which were purged to make room for the yoga mats, bolsters, blankets and blocks.
I’m even worse with books.
But I continue to long for emptiness, the pure space that would allow me to collect my thoughts, find one book to read, and the favorite t-shirt to wear day after day. And so I find an empty cardboard box, dump out the cat, and make yet another trip to the Salvation Army store.
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